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The Circus Act. — Page 10 





THE 


TAMING OF BETTY 


BY 

CALLY RYLAND 


ILLUSTRATED BT G, W, PICKNELL 



BOSTON 

LEE AND SHEPARD 
1904 



libra i?v r,f noNRRPss 
Two Oopifts RdmiJvihJ 


AUG 26 1904 


t 



Owyrtrtt Entry 


CLASS cl' XXo. Na 


nrAtttt /^ ' ki. 


cl' XXo. Na 



Published,® * 4 u|:ust, 1904 


Copyright, 1904, by'Lee and Shepard 


^// rights reserved 


The Taming of Betty 


Berwick & Smith Co. 
Ube Ittorwoob press 
Norwood, Mass. 

U. S. A. 


4 


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CONTENTS 


} CHAPTBB 

PAGE 

I. 

Betty and Otheks . 

1 

II. 

Jack’s Secret . 

. 13 

III. 

The Races 

. . 22 

IV. 

The Runaway . 

. 38 

V. 

Betty’s Home-coming 

. 55 

VI. 

Boarding School . * . 

. 68 

VII. 

The Rebellion of Joyce 

. 85 

VIII. 

A Day of Surprises 

. 97 

IX. 

Scrapes . . . •? 

. 113 

X. 

The Fancy Ball 

. 127 

XI. 

The Spider and the Fly 

. 145 

xir. 

A Disappointment . 

. 154 

XIII. 

The Holidays 

. 167 

XIV. 

A St. Julian’s Boy . 

. 183 

XV. 

Betty’s Heroism 

. 198 

XVI. 

Alas for Betty! 

. 209 

XVII. 

A Happy Awakening 

. 218 


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ILLUSTKATIONS 

Pagk 

The circus act. {FrontUpUce) 10 

On they came, the goal — only a few strides 

away 36 

The two bent over the small footprint ... 55 

I b’lieve she’s glad to see her old mammy, 

after all.” 99 ^ 

Every one who passed them stared at the 

outrider and her horse 110 

Father, you are so good to me ! ” . . . . 225 



THE TAMING OF BETTY 


CHAPTEE I 

BETTY — AND OTHERS 

At the far end of the big garden, perched 
comfortably in “ The Arms of Jacob,” as the 
children called the limbs of the old sassafras 
tree, sat Betty in a brown study. 

She had climbed up into this old sassafras 
tree to think ; and her appearance gave every 
evidence that the thinking was of a ruffling 
nature, for her brown curls were tossed and 
tousled, one boot was beating itself recklessly 
against the rough bark of the tree trunk, and 
a very decided pucker had gathered between 
her eyebrows. 

She was looking straight over the garden 
with its wide graveled walks and box-hedged 
squares, and through the magnolia trees, 
towards a certain window at the end of the 


2 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


house beyond; and as she looked, the pucker 
deepened into a frown and the boot-beating 
became more reckless. The window opened 
out of the schoolroom. 

The month was September. And these 
facts added together will give you as a result 
— Betty^s unhappy appearance. 

For Betty, though she was almost thirteen, 
was an incorrigible tomboy, to whom books 
and schoolrooms were detestable facts that 
existed only for nine months in the year, and 
were then utterly forgotten until autumn 
cruelly brought them to mind again. 

A mighty runner was Betty. 

She could bat a fly or pitch a curve almost 
as well as Jack. She could climb a tree like 
a squirrel, and stick on Nick^s back no matter 
how high his heels went into the air; but she 
was never quite sure-footed when you skipped 
her about in the multiplication table, and her 
spelling was unique,’^ as Miss Bowers, the 
governess, put it. 

Altogether there were sufficient reasons 
why Betty should feel very unhappy indeed. 

With Jack, now, it was different. 

Jack had been a delicate lad up to the last 
three or four years, so it was entirely natural 


BETTY — AND OTHERS 


3 


for him to like books, and certainly it was 
very easy for him to be polite to Miss Bowers, 
who did not tell him three times a week, with 
great regularity and much sarcasm, that she 
greatly deplored the lack of all feminine ac- 
complishments in a girl quite old enough to 
possess a few. 

Here Betty’s musings were brought to a 
sudden conclusion by frantic shrieks and the 
thud of tiny hoofs which broke through the 
stillness of the languid air. 

She quickly swung herself from the tree, 
and dashed around the corner of the nearest 
walk which led to the house. 

A terrifying sight greeted her. Nick, the 
small donkey, was running away! 

On the front seat of the little wagon sat 
Jack’s small sisters; Julianna, her fat little 
face white with round-eyed terror, and Joyce, 
sawing the reins with all her might, and yell- 
ing at the top of her lungs for help. 

Billy, the fox terrier, added to the confu- 
sion, for he was clinging to the back seat of 
the swinging, rocking wagon, which he had 
lately occupied in state as tiger, and barking 
as loud as the jolts would let him. 

Betty was paralyzed with fright, for Nick’s 


4 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


ears were lying well back, liis head was tucked 
obstinately down, and he was running as he 
had never run in all his life before. 

Suddenly he looked up and saw her stand- 
ing in the middle of the walk. 

Aha ! aha ! she is going to try to stop me, 
is she ! ’’ he said to himself — for he was a 
descendant of Balaam’s ass, and worked out 
puzzles in his own brain. Not if I know 
it,” and with a kick and a plunge he wheeled 
quickly around a corner. 

Over went the wagon. Out went Joyce on 
one side and Julianna on the other, and out, 
too, went poor little Billy, rolling over and 
over in the pansy beds; and away went Nick 
plunging and kicking, till the uncomfortable 
sensation of dragging a wagon side upwards 
brought him to a standstill. 

Joyce had landed in the box-hedge, which 
snapped its twigs viciously at her as she fell, 
but held her safely nevertheless. 

Betty pulled her out only the worse for a 
few scratches and snags; but Julianna lay 
white and stiff in the garden walk, her eyes 
tight shut. 

“ Oh, Joyce, Joyce, she’s killed! ” screamed 
Betty, her own face white with terror. 


BETTY — AND OTHERS 


5 


^‘Julianna, Julianna!’^ she cried, kneeling 
down and seizing the limp little hand in her 
own, but there was no answer. Not even the 
flicker of an eyelid. 

It is all my fault,’’ sobbed Joyce as if her 
heart would break. ‘‘ I — I t-tied up a bunch 
of g-grass onto the end of a long switch, and 
held it in front of his nose to make him go 
f-faster like the clowns do in the circus, and 
J- Julianna said, ‘ Don’t do it,’ and I — I said 
I would, and it s-scared him awful, and he 
ran, and I’ve killed her ! Oh, dear ! oh, dear ! 
What shall I do?” 

“ Perhaps she’s only fainted,” sobbed Betty, 
bending over the still form, but Julianna’s 
white face and tight-shut eyes made her voice 
falter. 

“ Who’ll tell Aunt Berta? ” she murmured 
in an awe-struck whisper when she could 
speak again. 

“ Why — why, you must tell her ; you are the 
oldest,” sobbed Joyce. 

“ But you are her sister, and she’s your 
mother,” said Betty incoherently. Oh, Juli- 
anna ! if you will only speak to me once more, 
if you will only look at me I will never tease 
you again as long as I live. 


6 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


We can’t let her lie here, Joyce,” she said 
presently in a solemn voice. 

You run and tell grandmama, and I’ll get 
Jack to help me take her to the house,” and 
with a last look at the little white face, they 
started off, sobbing, to break the sad news; 
when a queer gurgling noise made them clasp 
each other convulsively and look back. 

The cause of anxiety was sitting up. 

Where are you two going? ” it said 
crossly. 

Julianna! are you dead?” cried Joyce, 
flying to her side. 

“ Of course I am not dead,” said Julianna 
in a weak but resentful voice, “ but I was 
’most scared to death. 

“ I — I thought I was dead at flrst when I 
heard you and Betty go on over me so; then 
I just thought I would sit up and I found I 
wasn’t. 

“ Here, help me up, you two ; I’ve got awful 
bruises on my knees — and just look at my 
hands.” 

Just look at your frock, you mean,” said 
Joyce, becoming severe now that all the dan- 
ger was over, what will mammy say to 
you? ” 


BETTY — AND OTHERS 


7 


She won^t say anything,” Julianna an- 
swered composedly, she’ll be too glad I’m 
alive.” 

“ Oh, but you’re not going to tell her Nick 
ran away? ” said Betty decidedly. 

“ You remember there was an everlasting 
row about it last time, and they said that if he 
ever did it again they would send him away, 
and we all vowed we’d never tell if he did.” 

Julianna rubbed her fat knees and looked 
at Betty. 

You’re the one that thought I was dead, 
and said you weren’t ever going to tease me 
any more if I only spoke to you,” she said re- 
proachfully. 

“ Hello! what’s the matter there? ” shouted 
a voice at the end of the walk, and Jack came 
up leading a subdued and repentant little 
donkey. 

Oh, Jack, he ran away and pitched us 
both out, and Julianna ” 

“ Got hurt, of course,” said Jack sarcasti- 
cally. She alw^ays does ! If I had those pads 
of fat all over me that Julianna has I’d fall 
on them sometimes and not squall the way she 
does, no matter how badly I thought I was 
hurt. It’s always just thinking with Julianna, 


8 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


You could no more hurt her than you could 
hurt a rubber ball.” 

^‘We thought she was dead,” said Joyce 
very solemnly. 

“No doubt you did,” said Jack with a grin. 
“ She fell in a comfy place and had a nap. 
Oh, you needn’t pout, Julianna, I know you 
of old. 

“ But we haven’t got time to stand here 
talking ^ Julianna ’ all day. Have you for- 
gotten that grandmama promised us ten cents 
a load for all the magnolia leaves we haul to 
the trash-pile for ‘ Old Unc’ Jim ’ to burn? ” 

“ Of course I hadn’t forgotten it,” said 
Betty. “ It was in the back of my head all 
the time, only I’ve been thinking of things in 
the front of it all morning.” 

“ Such as what? ” asked Jack, as he turned 
Nick about and headed for the magnolias. 

“ Such as the schoolroom and Miss Bowers, 
that’s what,” snapped Betty, to whom the 
mere thought was irritating. 

“Lamentations of Jeremiah!” exclaimed 
Jack. “ I’d forgotten all about it. What a 
bore to have to be in the schoolroom this 
weather when everything in the garden just 
begs you to stay out.” 


BETTY — AND OTHERS 


9 


I couldn’t stand it a single minute if we 
didn’t get out at recess and really live for half 
an hour,” declared Betty. 

No more could I,” said Jack thoughtfully. 

But this isn’t hauling leaves and Old 
Unc’ Jim is waiting, so come on.” 

If you have never jobbed ” magnolia 
leaves with a stick, you can have no idea what 
an arm-aching, back-breaking exercise it is. 
Other kinds of leaves may be raked up, swept 
up, and shoveled up, but the magnolia leaf is 
full of curves, and, possessing a slippery sur- 
face as well, is an elusive article. 

You may rake them into a neat pile and 
then try to scoop them into your shovel or 
spade, but they will slip over its sides in spite 
of you, and all your labor is in vain. 

However, with four pairs of hands busily 
at work and Nick and Billy helping all they 
know how,” as Joyce said, grandmama’s 
purse stood in great danger of being drained 
of small change; and even Old Unc’ Jim, who 
generally regarded children as a nuisance, 
said as they brought up the last load, Well, 
I declar ! you-all is done fust-rate ! — but ” — he 
was heard to add to himself — dey always 
does, when dey’s wukkin’ fer money.” 


10 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


“ My! but I’m tired! ” said Jack, sitting on 
the end of the wagon and fanning himself 
with his hat. 

I’m not,” said Betty, who would not have 
acknowledged it if she had been. I’m going 
to do my circus act,” and she climbed up on 
Mck’s back. Give me a hand. Jack, till I 
stand up and get well balanced, and then lead 
him slowly.” 

But the circus act was brought to an abrupt 
conclusion by the appearance of Jack’s 
mother. 

My dear child, do get down ! ” she cried 
anxiously. What would your mother say if 
she saw you ! She would say ‘ don’t ’ as 
usual,” said Betty under her breath.] And 
suppose Nick should take into his head to bolt 
with you, it might cripple you for life,” Mrs. 
J oynes went on, without heeding the interrup- 
tion. 

“ Nick couldn’t bolt with me if he tried. 
Aunt Berta,” said Betty, slipping down never- 
theless, for she saw that her aunt had some- 
thing on her mind and she did not care to pre- 
cipitate matters. 

“ I have come to have a little talk with you 
children,” said Mrs. J oynes, so don’t inter- 


BETTY — AND OTHERS 11 

rupt me till I am quite through, and then I 
will listen to all you have to say about it. 

Your father and I, Jack, have been talking 
matters over this summer, and we both agree 
that it would be doing you an injustice to 
keep you any longer under a governess. 

“ You were thirteen your last birthday, and 
old enough now to begin to mix more with 
boys of your own age, and to hold your own 
with them in your studies as well as your 
games. Miss Bowers is a very satisfactory 
teacher, and the little girls will still be in her 
care, but I think — we all think — that you and 
Betty will both be better off at school, and I 
am quite sure you will agree with me before 
the first month is over.” 

There was a dead silence. The children felt 
as if a bomb had exploded in the peaceful gar- 
den, and were too much stunned to enter 
a protest. 

At last Betty said in a voice very much un- 
like her own, “ If we go together. Jack, per- 
haps we won’t mind so much.” 

“ Ah, but that is just what you cannot do,” 
said her aunt, sighing, for she had reluctantly 
taken upon herself the task of breaking this 
bad news to the children to save her sister. 


12 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


who was an invalid, and she rather dreaded 
the result. 

I am sorry, darling, that it seems such a 
cross to you, and I hope you will both try to be 
brave about it. 

Jack’s school is a boys’ school, and your 
father has already spoken to Miss Maitland 
about you, and she promises to let you share 
a nice desk in her room with a little cousin 
of hers whom I am sure you will like.” 

But Betty cast herself on the ground, re- 
gardless alike of fresh frock, dusty leaves, and 
the close proximity of Nick’s heels, and sobbed 
aloud : “ I’m sure I shall hate her. I shall 
hate them all, and — and nothing will ever be 
the same again ! ” 


CHAPTER II 
jack’s secret 

Oh, grandmama, may I come in? ” 
pleaded Betty in a heart-broken voice, as she 
pounded vigorously on the door. 

Of course you may, dear, always,” said 
her grandmama, opening the door herself. 

Why, what is the matter, darling,” she 
asked anxiously, for Betty’s face was stained 
with tears, and her hair had caught more than 
one straw and twig from the trash-pile in its 
tangle. 

It needed only one word of sympathy to 
open the flood-gates of Betty’s grief again, and 
she threw her arms around her grandmother 
and hid her face as she sobbed out the terrible 
trial that had come to her. 

It is hard enough to have to stay in the 
old schoolroom for hours every day with Miss 
Bowers nagging at you,” she said chokingly, 
but to have to go away from home every 
morning and be with strange girls and strange 
13 


14 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


teachers all day, and no garden to play in, I 
can’t stand it, grandmama ! Oh, I can’t stand 
it! 

Won’t you ask father not to make me go? 
I will promise to study really hard at home. 
Indeed, indeed I will, grandmama.” 

Grandmama took her on her lap and put 
both arms around her soothingly. 

There, there, dearest,” she said, you are 
getting to be too big a girl to give up like this. 
Why, Betty, I have not seen you cry before 
for months.” 

“ I have not had anything special to cry for, 
that’s the reason,” said Betty, rubbing her 
eyes hard. 

And besides, there are times when I just 

can’t cry, even when I ought to, but now 

Oh, grandmama, you ought to understand 
how I feel about it. 

“ You love to be at home and in the garden 
more than anywhere else in the world, and 
suppose you hated to study the way I do, and 
some one made you leave everything you loved 
best for half of every day, and sit in a stuffy 
room with your head aching doing lessons, 
wouldn’t you cry, too? ” 

But that is exactly what I had to do when 


JACK^S SECRET 


16 


I was your age,” said her grandmama, “ and 
it is what every little girl has to do sooner or 
later. You don’t want to grow up an igno- 
ramus, do you, Betty? 

You must not think grandmama does not 
sympathize with you, darling,” as Betty’s lip 
began to quiver again, but you know your 
father has made up his mind that you shall go 
to school, and so you must make the very best 
of it. 

Now run away and wash those tears off, 
and ask mammy to brush your hair, and I 
shall have something nice to tell you when 
you come back.” 

Betty went reluctantly out of the room. 

Her grandmama was the one being in all 
the world whom she devotedly loved; for her 
mother was a querulous invalid, and her 
father a busy man of affairs, who had never 
quite forgiven her for being a girl in- 
stead of the son and heir he longed for, 
and was always stern with her, and very 
impatient of her wild ways and abrupt man- 
ners. 

But her grandmama never was cross, never 
impatient, and sitting on the little footstool 
at her feet, Betty poured out all her joys and 


16 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


woes, sure of her ready appreciation and 
sympathy. 

Aunt Berta and Uncle John, too, were very 
kind to her, and tried to make as little differ- 
ence as possible between her and their own 
children, but Betty felt that she had never 
gained an entrance into the hearts that should 
have loved her best, and the knowledge gave 
her a wistful expression at times which went 
straight to her grandmama’s heart. 

For, in spite of her wild spirits, Betty was a 
sensitive little soul, who grew and thrived 
only under kindly treatment. 

Now what have you nice to tell me? ” she 
asked, as with all traces of the tears and 
tangles gone, she bounded into her grand- 
mama^s room. 

Why this — and this — and this,^’ said her 
grandmama, dropping three bright new half- 
dollars into her hand, to spend at the fair. 

Uncle John says he will take all of you 
to-morrow — if ” But Betty was execut- 
ing a delighted war dance around the room, 
and whooping like a Comanche brave. 

Her grandmama was too delighted to see 
that she had forgotten her troubles for the 
moment to quiet her, and Betty pirouetted 


JACK^S SECRET 


17 


until a sharp tap at the door brought her to a 
sudden standstill. 

“ Father ! she said in a whisper, her whole 
expression changing, as the door opened and 
Mr. Randolph stepped into the room. 

He looked at her very coldly, and said, 
‘‘ Your mother wishes to see you, Elizabeth,^^ 
and then turned to grandmama. 

My dear Mrs. Andrews,’’ he said, it must 
be excessively annoying to you to have such 
a little wildcat as this so constantly with you. 
I shall forbid her to trouble you so often in 
future.” 

I hope you will do no such thing,” said 
grandmama with spirit. 

Betty is my grandchild, and it is one of 
my chief pleasures to have her come to me 
here as often as she likes.” 

Mr. Randolph bowed stiffly. As you will,” 
he said, “ but you must allow me to say you 
have a remarkable idea of pleasure. 

“ How often shall I have to request you to 
be more ladylike before I am obeyed, Eliza- 
beth? ” he said sternly, as they went down the 
hall to her mother’s room together. 

If I hear of any more of your noisy 
demonstrations in your grandmama’s room I 


18 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


shall forbid you to go there at all, do you 
understand me? ’’ 

Yes, father,^’ said Betty, pressing her lips 
tightly together as he opened the door. 

The shades were drawn, and the usual faint 
odor of salts met her as she went in, treading 
softly over a carpet that seemed to say 
Hush to her every footfall. 

As ill-luck would have it she tripped in the 
semi-darkness over the rocker of a chair and 
stumbled forward, catching herself by the 
arm of the couch on which her mother was 
lying. 

Always so careless ! murmured a weak, 
fretful voice. Will you never learn to walk 
properly, Betty? 

“ I sent for you because your father and I 
wish to say that we have made arrangements 
for you to attend Miss Maitland^s school, 
which begins on Monday, I am thankful to 
say. We both hope that you may learn, by 
association with ladylike girls, to become 
ladylike yourself, if possible. Your rudeness 
and tomboyish ways are excessively annoying 
to us. Now go. I d'ohT care to hear any argu- 
ment. 

“ Shut the door quietly, for I am extremely 


jack’s secret 


19 


nervous to-day, and what your aunt has told 
me of your behavior this morning has given 
me a wretched headache.” 

I am sorry about the headache, mama,” 
began Betty, “ but ” a 

That will do,” said her father sternly. 

‘‘ The matter is settled. Let us hear no 
more about it.” 

If he could have seen the look Betty gave 
him as she w^ent out of the room he would not 
have been so certain that the matter was set- 
tled, but he picked up his newspaper and took 
no further notice of her. 

Once outside Betty clenched her fist hard. 

I’d half made up my mind to go and be 
good about it when grandmama talked it over 
with me,” she said between her teeth, but 
now I won’t go to that school to save any 
one’s life ! I won’t ! I won’t ! and nobody can 
make me go ! ” 

“ Go where? ” asked Julianna with interest, 
coming out of the nursery. 

To that old school,” said Betty sullenly. 

<< Why don’t you pray about it? ” asked 
Julianna, who was the pious member of the 
family. 

Pray ! ” sniffed Betty, “ what’s the use ! 


20 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


I have never gotten anything I ever prayed for 
yet. 

Ever since that birthday two or three 
years ago when I prayed for a billy-goat and 
got a sponge cake I have not had much faith 
in praying.’^ 

But you remember we had Nick given us 
afterwards/’ said Julianna, horrified at such 
skepticism. 

Oh, but it isn’t what we get afterwards, 
goosie,” said Betty. It’s getting the thing 
you want at the very time you want it, that 
I call an answer to prayer. 

There is J ack, now. He’s never gotten 
that rifle yet, and he’s been praying for it for 
dear knows how long.” 

That’s perfectly true,” said Jack, sliding 
down the banisters, and dropping off almost 
at their feet. But he’s going to get it Christ- 
mas all right. It’s a sure thing. 

And look here, you two ! Did you know 
daddy was going to take us to the fair to- 
morrow? ” 

Yes,” said Betty, her face brightening, 
Grandmama told me, and gave me these to 
spend.” 

That’s good!” said Jack, smacking his 


JACK^S SECRET 21 

lips over the prospective peanuts and pink 
lemonade. 

And I know something that^s going to 
happen to-morrow, Betty, he added, lowering 
his voice, that dl make your very eyes pop.’’ 

^^What?” asked Betty eagerly. Do tell 
me. Jack, there’s a good fellow; I feel so mis- 
erable to-day.” 

^^Will you cross your heart not to tell?” 
asked Jack. 

Oh, I will,” promised Betty. 

“ Well ” He stooped down and whis- 

pered something in her ear. 

“Oh, Jack, how splendid!” she cried with 
her eyes shining. “ But do you dare do it? ” 

“ Of course I dare,” said Jack. “ Now do 
hold your tongue, Betty, or you will let the 
cat out of the bag, and that ’ll be an end of 
everything.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Betty, clasping her hands with 
the excitement of the secret. “ It was a fine 
thing for you to think of. Jack. I can hardly 
wait till to-morrow comes.” 


CHAPTEE III 

THE RACES 

The first thing Betty thought of when 
she opened her eyes the next morning 
was the secret she had promised to keep for 
Jack. 

It was just splendid for him to have 
thought of/’ she said to herself again, as she 
jumped out of bed and ran to the window to 
take a peep at the weather. 

The sun was shining brilliantly, and Betty’s 
spirits rose almost to the point of forgetting 
that school began in just four days; so that 
when mammy came in to tell her that her bath 
was ready and added, “ Marse John’s goin’ to 
take me to de fyah to look after you chillun,” 
she hastily slipped one of her new half-dollars 
into her hand and said gayly, I’ve got lots 
, more than I can spend, mammy, so you take 
this and ride on the merry-go-round.” 

“ Now, jes’ listen to dat chile,” said 
mammy, much gratified with her gift. 

22 


THE RACES 


23 


Don’t she know her old mammy’s got too 
much sense to trus’ her shaky bones on no 
merry-go-no whar? Go ’long, chile, and git in 
dat tub. You’ll ketch your death runnin’ 
round here, byah-footed.” 

Uncle John was the jolliest person in the 
world to go anywhere with, Betty thought. 

He was never tired of doing just the things 
you liked best to do, and he was always so 
interested in telling you the things you 
wanted to know about. 

Betty could not imagine going to a fair or 
a circus with her father. 

An occasional walk on Sunday afternoons 
was the nearest approach he ever made to 
giving her any amusement, and he always 
improved the occasion by lecturing her on 
some misdemeanor, or examining her sternly 
on her studies, so that it was a real relief 
whenever he said he would not be able to go 
that day. 

If it wasn’t for grandmama and Jack 
and the garden, I’d run away, and never come 
home any more,” Betty would say to herself ^ 
sometimes. 

But the fresh air and the sunshine never 
failed to help her forget her woes and turn 


24 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


her into the merry, high-spirited little tomboy 
she was. 

Long before the horses had been put to the 
big family barouche in which they were all to 
go to the fair, Jack and Betty were sitting on 
the front steps impatiently waiting for the 
moment to arrive; while Julianna and Joyce 
swung over the gate, at the risk of breaking 
their necks, to catch the first glimpse of Uncle 
William, the coachman, swinging around the 
corner. 

A ripple of admiration which had been in 
Betty’s eyes all morning gave Jack a sense of 
importance which Avas very pleasant to him, 
but he answered her eager questions with a 
fine show of indifference which he was far 
from feeling. 

Oh, often ! ” he was saying, in reply to a 
whispered question. 

I went out there afternoons when you 
thought I was playing football. 

Any trainer is delighted to give you a 
mount if he’s sure you know how to ride, and 
I do, you know.” 

As well as any one I ever saw,” put in 
Betty. 

So I’ve exercised the horses many a time,” 


THE RACES 25 

he went on, without heeding her interruption. 

I’m just Johnny’s weight, too.” 

“ Tell me about him,” pleaded Betty. I 
couldn’t listen for thinking of — j^ou know 
what — when you told me yesterday.” 

‘‘Well,” said Jack, “it’s just this. You 
know his father was a foreman in daddy’s 
factory, but he got terribly crippled up with 
rheumatism last winter, and had to give up 
his job. 

“ Of course, daddy kept the place open for 
him whenever he was able to come back, but 
he lost lots of time and money, and the doctor 
says he’s pretty apt to have the same trouble 
this winter. 

“ Johnny is just my age, and there are six 
others, so they have a terrible scramble to 
make both ends meet. Johnny’s crazy to go 
to school [ “ Gracious me ! ” murmured 
Betty], but, of course, he can’t. He has to 
work too, so he went into the Beattys’ stables 
and learned to ride. He’s a fine jockey, now. 
Sticks on like a monkey, and knows all about 
racing. Well, if he could win the Three Hun- 
dred Dollar Stakes to-day, Beatty promised 
to give him half and send him to a night school 
besides, so he was crazy with delight, but yes- 


26 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


terday afternoon that little rowdy who rides 
for Baker jammed him against the post as 
they turned the curve and mashed his foot 
horribly, so he’s done for.” 

Oh, not if ” began Betty, but a shriek 

from Joyce, who had tumbled off the gate in 
her endeavor to be the first to tell that the 
carriage was coming, made Jack spring to his 
feet and rush into the house with the news. 

Uncle John, who always sympathized with 
the impatience of young people for the be- 
ginning of their good times, soon appeared, 
followed by mammy in her best bonnet and 
most spotless apron and kerchief, keenly sen- 
sible of the honor Marse John ” was paying 
her in taking her to look after the chillun,” 
instead of their nurse. 

Mammy was a privileged character. 

She had lived with “ Ole Miss,” as she 
called Mrs. Andrews, as her maid, before she 
was married, and Jack’s and Betty’s mamas 
were her first charges. 

She was a real, old-fashioned mammy, which 
means that she was on familiar terms with 
“ her people ” without knowing how to be dis- 
respectful, and she would cheerfully have laid 
down her life for any one of them at any time. 


THE RACES 


27 


She had ahvays stood in great awe of Betty’s 
father, but Marse J ohn ” was her pride and 
joy, and as he installed her comfortably on the 
front seat, with Julianna and Joyce on either 
side, she felt as proud as the Queen of the 
Sandwich Islands. 

Soon they were whirling over the cobble- 
stones amid a great number of carriages, omni- 
buses, wagons, and vehicles of every descrip- 
tion, whose Jehus were cracking their whips 
and calling out to hesitating pedestrians on 
the sidewalks, All the way to the fair 
grounds for ten cents.” 

For the fair in town ” was an attraction 
hard to resist, and the country for miles 
around emptied itself into the city for a three- 
days holiday. 

The din and dust were terrific, but Uncle 
John resolutely shut his ears and eyes to 
it, for, as Betty said, ^^to go up a quiet 
street would not be like going to the fair at 
all.” 

He breathed a sigh of relief when they 
finally turned in at the life members’ gate, 
and drew up before the entrance of the main 
building. 

Uncle William was given his orders to get 


28 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


a good stand in the carriage park, from which 
the whole race course could be seen, and then 
Uncle John turned to his party. 

Now, mammy,’^ he said, you are the old- 
est, so you may have first choice. What would 
you like to see in this building? ” 

“ La! Marse John, if you axes me, I believe 
I’d ruther look at log cabin quilts ’n any- 
thing else, an’ of course I’d like to glimpse de 
cake and per-serves as we passes by.” 

Very well. Now, Jack, you are next? ” 

“ Machinery",” answered J ack promptly, for 
he was never tired of seeing the wheels go 
round. 

Betty? ” 

The horses and cows and saddles and bri- 
dles and pony carts. Uncle John.” 

The horses and cows happen to have a 
special apartment outside,” he said, smiling, 
but I know where to find the saddles and 
carts, I think.” 

And now for the little girls? ” turning to 
Julianna and Joyce, who were dancing about 
excitedly on the tips of their toes. 

Oh, everything, daddy ! ” they exclaimed in 
.one breath. 

Well, that is a large order,” laughed Uncle 


THE RACES 29 

John, but come on, and we’ll do the best we 
can.” 

More than an hour passed before they 
emerged from the building, and then each one 
presented the most comical appearance, for 
mammy and her small charges had accepted 
samples of everything offered them, while 
Betty and Jack were fairly fluttering with cir- 
culars and sketches of saddles, pumps, turbine 
wheels, and electric motors. 

Now for the side-shows,” said Betty 
breathlessly. 

Uncle John, do you suppose anybody ever 
gets tired of side-shows? ” 

“ Well,” said Uncle John gravely, I had 
the bad taste to tire of them at one time of my 
life, but that was before I knew you young- 
sters.” 

They paused on the steps to get their bear- 
ings. 

Immense crowds of good-natured people 
were surging about in all directions, some 
making straight for the long rows of tents, 
where a man with a megaphone voice stood on 
a little platform between the Champion Fat 
Boy and the Lady Snake Charmer, and bawled 
the delights of “ the greatest show on earth.” 


30 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


The sky was a brilliant blue. 

The air had a languid touch of Indian sum- 
mer, and over the ground hung a soft, misty 
haze, which one always sees over fair grounds 
in September. 

Isn’t this just lovely! ” sighed Betty. I 
do wish I could go to a fair every day.” 

Which shall we see first, the Snake 
Charmer’s tent or the Crystal Maze? ” 

They chose the Maze, and Uncle John said 
afterwards it was worth the dust and fatigue 
of the whole day to see mammy threading it. 

Such bumps and bruises as she gave herself, 
and such scoldings of that impujent nigger 
’oman Avhat keeps on a- jumpin’ out at me,” 
whom she never recognized as herself, sent the 
children into fits of laughter, which were very 
wounding to her dignity. 

And when the attendant, with a broad grin 
on his face, came to lead her out, she said to 
him indignantly: 

Dis is de ve’h p’oest show I have ever sawn 
for de price. 

I know de Good Book say dat man is born 
to trouble as de sparks dat fiyeth by night, but 
what ennybody wants to th’ust deyselves in 
trouble by cornin’ in dis place fer is mor’n I 


THE RACES 


31 


can see,” and she gave him such a withering 
look that he actually quailed before iier wrath. 

It was only after a complete tour of the side- 
shows and a visit to the quarters of the fatted 
calf and blooded stock that Julianna com- 
plained of being tired, and her father swung 
her up on his broad shoulder, and led the way 
over the smooth turf to the carriage park, 
where Uncle William was awaiting them with 
sandwiches and refreshing ginger-ale. 

What became of Jack?” asked Uncle 
John presently. 

“ I hab^ent saw him sence de man dropped 
outer de bal-loon in de ombrella, Marse John,” 
said mammy anxiously. 

Shall I go and fotch him, sah?” ques- 
tioned Uncle William. 

No,” said his father, he knows we will 
wait for him here. I suppose he will turn up 
after a while. 

‘^Why, what is the matter, Betty? You 
are not eating as much as a bird? ” 

But Betty did not hear. 

She had climbed up on the box-seat of the 
carriage, and was watching with all her eyes 
a slender figure on a prancing, dancing horse, 
at the far end of the race track. 


32 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Uncle John pulled out his program and 
compared it with the figure on the judges’ 
stand. 

“ Number 3,” he said. Why, that is the 
running race I especially wish to see. I am 
glad we got here just in time. Beatty’s horse, 
Red Silk, is entered, Betty, and his jockey is 
that young Johnnie White Jack is so much in- 
terested in.” 

He stood up and swept the track with his 
glasses. 

Ah,” he said presently, that must be the 
horse over there — a beauty, too, and rightly 
named. See how his coat shines, Betty, and 
how very well that youngster sits on him. I 
would like my boy to ride as well as that.” 

Eis hoy! Betty gulped with excitement. 

Jack had pulled the cap well down over his 
eyes, but where were Uncle John’s eyes that 
they did not recognize the youngster he was 
praising for his boy.” 

For this was Jack’s secret. 

When Johnnie hurt his foot and was car- 
ried over to the judges’ stand, where his 

Boss ” and Jack stood together, his eyes full 
of tears, and his face white, as much from the 
bitter disappointment of not being given his 


THE RACES 


33 


chance to win as from the pain he was endur- 
ing, Jack had said impulsively, I’ll ride Red 
Silk for you to-morrow, Mr. Beatty, if you 
think I can.” 

“ I know you can, my boy,” Mr. Beatty an- 
swered, feeling as if a load had rolled from 
him, but what will your father say? ” 

‘‘ He won’t say anything till it is ail over,” 
said J ack, for I shan’t say anything to him 
about it till then.” 

And so it came to pass, when the bugle 
sounded for the running race, and places were 
maneuvered for by the four other jockeys, 
Jack, in Mr. Beatty’s colors of red and. white, 
sat proudly on the beautiful sorrel, looking as 
calm as if riding a race were a part of his 
everyday life. 

Twice they started, and twice the bugle 
called them to the start again. 

For the other lads, who were stable boys, 
and rowdy ones for the most part, had soon 
gotten wind of the news that Jack was going 
to ride for Johnny White, and they determined 
then and there that no city chap should come 
in at the last moment and snatch the prize 
away from them. 

Jack soon saw it was to be war to the knife. 


34 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


and he had every reason to expect foul play, 
but he clenched his teeth and kept as cool as 
possible under the circumstances. 

Off at last! ” cried Uncle John, as the flag 
fell, and the five horses shot past in a streak 
of color. 

“ That White boy looked uncommonly like 
Jack, eh, Betty? he said, smiling. What a 
shame Jack is not here; he will hate to miss 
this race.’^ 

Oh, Uncle John ! ” cried Betty, her eyes 
sparkling and the color coming and going in 
her cheeks, he isnT missing it. He’s on Red 
Silk. He told me not to tell you till they got 
well off, but Johnny White hurt his foot, and 
Ja& hadn’t the heart to let him miss the prize 

if he could possibly get it for him — so he 

Oh, look there ! ” she cried excitedly, as Red 
Silk swerved violently to the right. 

“ Good Heavens! ” muttered Uncle John, 
under his mustache, they’ll kill my boy, 
those young ruffians! You should have told 
me before, Betty,” he said sternly. “ This is 
too great a risk for a man to run who has only 
one son to lose,” and his face was white and 
drawn as Betty looked up at him. 

But now the news had spread from carriage 


THE RACES 


35 


to carriage that young Jack Joynes was riding 
Eed Silk, and every glass was leveled at the 
flying figures, and there were eager whispers 
among the women and shouts of delight from 
the men among Uncle John’s friends as Eed 
Silk recovered himself with a superb effort, 
and bore steadily down on the two horses still 
ahead of him. 

Steadily, steadily, he gained upon the hind- 
most one and passed him; and now, at the 
three-quarter post. Jack and the jockey in 
blue were running a neck-and-neck race. 

There was a long, breathless moment of sus- 
pense. 

The whole field, the grand stand, and even 
the track loafers were as silent as if they were 
inhabitants of the Sleeping Palace. 

On and on came the horses, neck and neck ; 
their flanks quivering, their nostrils wide, 
straining limb and muscle in this last effort. 

The jockey in blue was urging his horse for- 
ward with heel and whip. 

He called to him in short, sharp cries, and 
the good horse answered willingly with tired 
spurts. 

Jack bent low over the straining neck of Eed 
Silk, his face white, his eyes burning. 


36 the taming of BETTY 

On, on they came, the goal — only a few 
strides away. 

Lower Jack bent, and now his knees gripped 
tighter, his breath shortened. 

Suddenly he gave a peculiar call, so low that 
only Bed Silk’s quick ears caught it — and an- 
swered with a mighty spurt. 

The wire was passed. Jack had won by a 
neck ! 

Shout after shout of applause rent the air, 
as the five jockeys turned their horses and 
rode slowly to the judges’ stand, and Jack 
held up his hand for recognition. 

Mr. Beatty hurried out, with his stable boys 
following at his heels, and lifted Jack from 
the saddle — and — big boy as he was — gave 
him a good hug before putting him on his feet 
again. 

Uncle John, who seemed suddenly to have 
developed a cold in his head, leaped over the 
fence of the carriage park, and clapped his 
boy on the shoulder with such pride shining 
in his eyes that Jack grinned delightedly; and 
Betty gave his arm such a squeeze that it bore 
the prints of her fingers for several days 
afterwards. 

But it was to his mother, who came softly 







On they came, the goal — only a few strides away. — Page 36 . 





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THE RACES 


37 


into his room that night when he was in bed, 
that he said, patting her hand : It was just 
fine to hear them all cheering me, mother, 
dearest, but the finest of all is that Johnny 
gets his half of the stakes, and can go to school 
all the winter/’ 


CHAPTER IV 


THE RUNAWAY 

Jack spent his last three days of liberty 
much as if nothing tremendous were going to 
happen at the end of them, and if, after por- 
ing over his beloved Tom Brown at Rugby 
for hours each day, he furtively disappeared in 
the direction of the old nursery, where he kept 
an alarming array of dumb-bells and Indian 
clubs, no one but Betty was the wiser. 

With that young lady, the hours were spent 
more tumultuously. 

Having settled it once for all in her own 
mind that she would not go to this school 
which her father had decided upon, she gave 
every spare moment to a plan of escape, and it 
was only when this was fully perfected that 
she gave herself up to her unbridled spirits, 
and made the most of her few days of grace in 
her own way — and Betty’s way was the way of 
the boisterous and unruly. 

Julianna and Joyce suffered for many of 
38 


THE RUNAWAY 


39 


her misdoings during these few days, and only 
their intense loyalty and admiration kept 
them from deserting entirely, for she got 
them into all kinds of scrapes, resulting in 
scratches, bruises, and torn frocks without 
number, and only settled down to comparative 
quiet when Aunt Berta came upon her one day 
lowering Joyce by the arms from the library 
window, a feat which would surely have re- 
sulted disastrously for poor Joyce had her 
mother not come in in the very nick of time to 
rescue her. 

Mrs. Randolph took to her couch again in 
despair, after writing a pathetic note to Miss 
Maitland, beseeching her to use all her influ- 
ence in taming this wild little creature; and 
even grandmama, whose patience was inex- 
haustible, gave a sigh of relief when the day 
arrived for Betty to start to school. 

Julianna and Joyce looked on with un- 
feigned envy when the morning Anally 
dawned, and old Mrs. Hubbard, the house- 
keeper, whom the children firmly believed to 
have been the original Old Mother Hub- 
bard,’’ put the most delicious little lunches 
imaginable into the two baskets lying side by 
side on the carving table, and said in her rich 


40 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


brogue : “ Shure, and that should kape even 
Miss Betty from star-r-vation till dinner- 
toime.” 

Jack and Betty had been entered at their 
respective schools the day before by Aunt 
Berta, who was greatly surprised at Betty’s 
calmness and evident willingness to go ; 
though if she could have looked into her brain, 
fermenting with rebellious plans; or into her 
heart, filled with bitterness for the father who 
seemed to care only that he was obeyed, never 
that he was loved, she would have known that 
the battle was not yet over. 

Betty found Julianna and Joyce perched on 
the fence waiting for her when she came home 
from that first painful interview with Miss 
Maitland, and, between bites of apples, with 
which they kept her supplied, she related her 
experience scornfully. 

Afraid of Miss Maitland? I? Not on 
your life! Why, she’s no bigger than I am, 
and oh, so dreadfully lady-like! I felt like 
talking in a whisper, she had such a quiet 
voice, and she kept tearing paper into little 
bits while she talked to me; not crossly, you 
know, but as if she didn’t want to hurt it. 

“ She asked me what I’d been studying, and 


THE RUNAWAY 


41 


I said ‘ nothing more than I could help/ and 
she looked at me queerly, and said, ^ I think 
we shall be good friends, Betty,’ and I said, 
‘ not if I know it,’ and she asked me if I said 
anything and I said I had a tickling in my 
throat. 

Then she called up that cousin of hers she 
thinks I’m going to desk with. Her name is 
Delia Fairfax, and she’s just the kind of a girl 
Jack called a ‘ sissy.’ I hated her ! I hated 
the whole lot of them I 

Come here, Billy ! ” she called to the fox 
terrier, who was nosing around for a bit of ap- 
ple. “ Which had you rather be, that Delia 
Fairfax girl or a dead dog? ” 

Billy promptly rolled over on his back, 
turned up his eyes, and stiffened his legs. 

That’s right,” said Betty, so had I.” 

But this morning, in spite of the hints and 
warnings she had let drop to Julianna, she 
shouldered her books, fastened like Jack’s 
with a strap, swung the little lunch basket 
onto the end of it, and started off whistling 
with such a beaming countenance that grand- 
mama said to Aunt Berta, I am glad the dear 
child has made up her mind to go willingly. 

“ Somehow I have always dreaded her first 


42 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


schooldays, she is so high-strung and sensi- 
tive.” 

I think she is beginning to realize that she 
is too big a girl to play tomboy any longer,” 
said Aunt Berta confidently, as she buttered 
another wafile. 

She shall be made to see it,” said Betty ^s 
father in his coldest voice. She has had her 
own way much longer than is good for her. 
As her mother is not strong enougli to man- 
age her, I shall take her in hand myself in 
the future.” 

He looked around the table with the air of 
adding, “ And I do not care for any interfer- 
ence in the matter,” but grandmama was 
busily pouring a cup of coffee for Uncle John, 
and appeared not to have heard the remark. 

She had heard it, though, and her heart 
ached for her favorite grandchild, for Mr. 
Randolph had severe ideas of the management 
of children, and grandmama knew that it was 
only by love and forbearance that Betty could 
ever be managed. 

Meanwhile, Jack and Betty had come to the 
parting of their ways. 

For Betty it was a parting in more than one 
sense of the word, for she and Jack had been 


THE RUNAWAY 


43 


chums and playfellows since their crawling 
days, and she knew that this new life he was 
beginning was full of all sorts of interests 
which she could never share with him. 

So it was with an unusually sober face 
that she listened to his parting injunction, 

Don^t let ’em walk over you, Betty ” ; though 
she could not refrain from shouting after 
him patronizingly, Kun along, little boy, 
and take care of yourself, you’ll have your 
hands full,” as she watched him turn his 
corner. 

Then she gave a hasty glance around, and 
walked swiftly away in the opposite direction. 

“ Just in time,” she said to herself, catching 
a glimpse of a certain yellow car on a cross 
street, and giving her books a firmer hitch, she 
ran towards it with all her might, and swung 
on, just as it started. 

With a delightful sense of freedom she 
dropped into the seat nearest the window and 
banged her books down on the fioor for a foot- 
stool. 

Betty was running away. 

It was the only thing left her, she concluded, 
unless she wished to spend her days in a 
school-room with a lot of girls who were to 


44 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


teach her to be lady-like, and that was not 
included among her ambitions. 

One day last spring she had ridden on this 
very car with Aunt Berta, and at the end of 
the line a little trap had met them — she re- 
membered the road perfectly — and they had 
driven out across the country to see a dear old 
lady and her daughter, who were friends of 
grandmama. 

It had been a delightful day, and Betty very 
often thought of it since and wished she could 
spend another just like it, and now the oppor- 
tunity had come again, spiced with the knowl- 
edge that she should be at school studying de- 
■^portment, and not here at all, enjoying herself 
in her own way. 

When the car finally came to a standstill, 
Betty stepped blithely off and looked around 
her, half hoping to see the same little trap she 
had once ridden in; but there was nothing in 
sight but an old ox-cart, driven by a small 
negro boy, creaking its way slowdy down the 
dusty road. 

The car on which she had come out, had al- 
ready made the loop and started home again, 
and Betty watched it as it whisked around the 
curve and out of sight. 


THE RUNAWAY 


45 


The country looks wider than I ever saw 
it,” she said to herself, sweeping the fields and 
reddening woods with her eyes. 

It is lovely out here ; but, dear me ! I do 
think a view is the loneliest thing in the 
world.” So, picking up the lunch basket and 
the detested books, she started off to put as 
much of it behind her as possible. 

For an hour she wall^ed steadily on, meeting 
no one, seeing only the little negro cabin from 
which the ox-cart had evidently come. 

Presently she came to the forks of the road. 

Why, how queer ! I don’t remember this at 
all ! ” she said aloud, stopping, and looking 
first down one road and then down the other. 

A little molly cotton-tail ” dashed in front 
of her and hid in the underbrush beyond, 
where she could see its bright eyes shining at 
her. 

It gave her a comfortable feeling of compan- 
ionship, but she was afraid to linger, so, after 
due consideration, she chose the left fork and 
started off bravely again. 

This road just seems to go on forever and 
ever, and never to get anywhere at all,” she 
said to herself, after a weary pull up a steep 
little hill. 


46 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


She took out the tiny enameled watch 
grandmama had given her on her birthday, 
and looked anxiously at it. 

Only five minutes to tAvelve ! She had 
thought it much later. She would walk on 
till twelve, and then eat her lunch, and mean- 
while she would hide that hateful strap of 
books. She wondered what had possessed her 
to bring them so far, when she never expected 
to use them as long as she lived. 

Under a wayside oak she found a nice 
smooth stone, and there, when the books were 
well covered from sight under some dry leaves, 
she opened her basket and spread her table. 

It was a lonely little picnic, but Betty was 
too hungry to regret the fact. 

' Mother Hubbard does make the nicest 
sandwiches in the world,” she sighed, leaning 
against the tree and sinking her strong little 
teeth luxuriously into the fattest one. The 
cookies and the orange disappeared in quick 
order, and then somehow the fields seemed to 
grow very misty, and the trees began to sway 
about in a slow, majestic dance — and Betty 
was asleep. 

She was aroused by the soft pad of a horse’s 
hoofs in the dusty road, and rubbing the sleep 


THE RUNAWAY 


47 


from her eyes, she saw a rickety old buck- 
board with two men in it coming up over the 
hill. 

“ Why, hullo ! ” called the one who was a 
dark, beetle-browed man, as Betty de- 
scribed him afterwards. What have we 
here? 

Hb drew his horse up to the side of the road 
and surveyed Betty with a leering grin. 

“ What are ye doin’ out on this road by 
yourself? ” he asked. 

I’m on my way to Mrs. Braxton’s,” said 
Betty, struggling with a yawn, but trying to 
be very dignified. 

“ ‘ Mis’ Braxton ! ’ ” exclaimed the other 
man. “ Why, you’re ’way off. Mis’ Braxton 
don’t live ” 

Shut up, will ye ! ” growled Beetle Brows, 
giving him a nudge. 

“ You get in here, sissy, and I’ll take you to 
Mis’ Braxton ; I’m goin’ right past thar.” 

Indignant at being addressed as “ sissy,” 
but very well contented with the prospect of a 
lift, Betty cried : I will be so much obliged 
to you if you will leave me there, for I have 
been walking hours and hours, and I don’t 
seem to get anywhere, somehow.” 


48 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Come right up here/’ said the man, offer- 
ing her his hand, but Betty climbed up by her- 
self into the seat at the back, saying, I’d 
rather sit here, if you don’t mind.” 

Suit yourself,” said Beetle Brows, flop- 
ping his bony horse with the reins. 

Does Mis’ Braxton ex-pect you? ” he asked 
presently. 

Why, no,” said Betty hesitatingly. “ That 
is — I — I’m going to give her a surprise.” 

Oh, I see,” said the man, adding under his 
breath to his companion, runnin’ away from 
home, I bet.” 

Then he turned as well as he could for the 
narrow driving seat and fixed his eye on 
Betty. Beckon you left home on rather 
short notice, didn’t ye? Who’s your folks, 
anyway? ” 

“ My father is Mr. Thomas Bandolph,” said 
Betty stiffly, feeling that the man was becom- 
ing impertinent, and almost wishing she had 
not accepted his invitation to ride. 

President of the Dominion Bank? 
Whew ! ” as Betty nodded. This is a rich 
haul,” she heard him say under his breath. 

Now what does he mean by that? ” she 
wondered. 


THE RUNAWAY 


49 


But the two men had put their heads 
close together, and took no further notice of 
her. 

Now and then she heard a whispered sen- 
tence or two : Old man’s rich as cream. 

. . , Touch him for five thousand, any- 
way. . . . Hide her at your sister’s till 

. . . and pays up. . . . Share alike, of 
course.” 

Every few minutes Beetle Brows peeped 
over his shoulder to see if she Avere listening, 
but Betty had slipped well down on the seat, 
and shut her eyes tight, and so, well satisfied 
at last that she was asleep, he devoted all his 
attention to enthusing his reluctant com- 
panion with his scheme. 

But sleep was never further from Betty’s 
eyes. 

From the whispered words that came to her 
now and again, there was no doubt left in her 
mind but that these two men were planning to 
kidnap her, and keep her hidden until they 
could get a sufficiently large reward from her 
father. 

Jack had told her a harrowing tale not very 
long ago of a boy who was stolen from his 
home and kept for weeks on bread and water. 


50 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


till his father finally gave thousands of dollars 
to get him back again. 

H^er own father’s face, stern, cold, and for- 
bidding, rose before her, and she almost sobbed 
aloud as she said to herself : He does not 
love me well enough to care whether I ever 
come back or not, so I’m sure he would not 
pay them a reward for me, and I’d have to 
live with these awful men and their sister for- 
ever.” 

But this was no time for tears. 

Betty knew that what was to be done must 
be done quickly, while those two heads on the 
front seat were close together hatching their 
plans. 

A little further back she had seen through a 
clearing in the trees a curl of blue smoke 
rising from a chimney, and her one idea was to 
get to that house and beg for shelter till these 
men had gotten far enough away for her to 
start on her journey again. 

But how to slip out of the trap unobserved, 
was the question. 

Once when her lunch basket fell to the floor 
both heads had turned around so quickly that 
Betty was startled. 

She knew they would not allow a five-thou- 


THE RUNAWAY 51 

sand-dollar reward to slip easily through their 
fingers. 

Just ahead she could see that the road had 
been mended with dumpings of gravel which 
covered it for ten or twenty yards. 

“ This is my chance/’ she said to herself, for 
she knew that the wobbly wheel of the buck- 
board would grate and rasp through the 
gravel with such a noise one could not hear 
one’s own ears. 

The seat she occupied had an open space 
under the back-rest, and, as the rickety front 
wheels of the buckboard plunged noisily into 
the gravel, and the two heads on the front seat 
leant closer together, Betty, lithe as a cat, 
squeezed herself slowly but surely through the 
space, landed on her knees at the back of the 
buckboard, and dropped quietly down into the 
rocky road below. 

The pebbles cut her hands and knees until 
they bled, but she hardly gave them a thought, 
for at any moment those evil faces might turn 
to look at her, and Betty knew that when they 
found she had disappeared, they w^ould search 
every step of the way back for her. 

Close to the spot on which she had fallen, 
the gravel was scattered carelessly about, al- 


52 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


most to the underbrush on the side of the road, 
and, carefully stepping on this, that her tracks 
might not betray her, she leaped over the little 
roadside ditch and plunged into the woods, 
running as fast as her bruised knees could 
carry her. 

Presently she stopped short and listened, 
her heart beating hard and fast. 

She was sure that she heard voices. 

What should she do when those men came 
back to look for her, as she did not doubt they 
would as soon as she was missed? 

The trees were thick here, but they were 
rather small, and Betty was too large to 
crouch behind the bushes. 

The voices seemed to come nearer and 
nearer, and Betty wrung her hands in terror 
and despair. 

To be so near liberty, and then to be caught 
again ! 

It was a lucky thing for Betty at that mo- 
ment that she had not been trained to forget 
her tomboyish habits, for an idea came to her 
which she immediately proceeded to carry 
out. 

Grasping the trunk of the sturdy little oak 
tree nearest her with arms and legs, she 


THE RUNAWAY 


53 


shinned up as briskly as Jack could have 
done, till her hand caught the lowest branch 
and she could swing herself onto a comfor- 
table perch. 

The foliage was very thick, and the scarlet 
leaves of the dogwood tree between her and 
the road served as a screen to the pretty red 
frock she wore; so, well contented with her 
hiding place, Betty sat still and waited re- 
sults. 

The grating of wheels over the same bit of 
mended road told her that her pursuers were 
hot on her trail, and presently she heard a 
loud Whoa!’’ 

The men were soon out, searching diligently 
through the bushes and straining their eyes 
down the road to catch a sight of the little 
scarlet frock and big black hat, and yelling 
such frightful denunciations of each other^ 
that Betty shrank shudderingly. 

She could just see them through the 
branches of the trees, and the look on Beetle 
Brows’ face terrified her. 

Where the mischief can she have got to I ” 
he called to his companion. 

It’s all your fault, you bletherin’ idjit. 
If you hadn’t worried the life out o’ me with 


54 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


your rattle-brained nonsense I could have 
kept my eye on her, and she wudn^t ’ave got 
away. Keep to your side of the road thar, and 
I’ll beat about on this side myself.” 

Betty heard the twigs crackling and the 
leaves rustling under his feet as he made his 
way through the bushes toward her hiding 
place, and her heart almost stopped beating, 
as he bent over not five yards away from her 
tree, and shouted out to his companion, She’s 
hereabouts somewheres, for I’ve come up with 
her footprint at last.” 



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CHAPTER V 


BETTY^S HOME-COMING 

The other man came running across the 
road and joined Beetle Brows, and the two 
bent over the small footprint and examined 
it carefully. 

CerPn^y looks like it,” he said at length. 

‘‘ You take dese here bushes, an’ I’ll take 
dem over dere, and I reckon we’re sure to 
come up with her.” 

Betty thought that she was going to 
faint. 

She wondered why those men did not hear 
her heart beating in the top of that oak tree 
above their heads. 

She did not trust herself to look down at 
them, for her head was whirling like a top, 
so she sat, as still as possible, with her eyes 
tight shut and one arm around the slender 
trunk of the bushy little tree, trying not to 
breathe any oftener than she could help. 

O God,” she prayed silently, if you ever 
55 


66 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


want to help a little girl, now is your 
time/’ 

Long afterwards she confided to Julianna 
that she was sure her little prayer saved her, 
for when she opened her eyes again Beetle 
Brows was saying, Oh, come on, Jim, she 
ain’t round here anywheres. Reckon that 
footprint mus’ b’long to some other critter,” 
and then she heard them climb into the buck- 
board again and drive off. 

She drew a long breath of relief and relaxed 
her hold a little, for the bark cut into the 
scratches on her hand; but she did not dare 
to slip down from her perch till she heard the 
buckboard come slowly back half an hour 
later, the men swearing such dreadful words 
at each other that she almost fell out of the 
tree trying to stop up her ears. 

Then the wheels crunched through the 
gravel, and she knew she was safe at last. 

A few minutes later she was running across 
the fields to the clearing in the woods beyond, 
where she had seen the smoke, and, climbing- 
over a snake fence, she almost tumbled on the 
shoulders of a man who was bending over a 
turnip patch. 

‘^Hi! Sissy, whar ’d you drap from?” he 


BETTY^S HOME-COMING 


67 


asked, straightening himself up and looking 
at her with such a friendly smile that Betty’s 
heart warmed to him at once. 

“ Come here, Sa’r’ann,” he called to a 
woman who appeared at the door of the little 
house beyond, molding a pone of corn bread 
in her hands. Here’s some comp’ny, 
drapped in on us frum off the top of the 
fence.” 

The woman laid the corn pone down and 
came out, wiping her hands on her apron. 

I’m real glad to see ye, honey,” she said 
with a smile, as genial and warm as her hus- 
band’s, but where are the rest o’ your 
folks? ” 

Then Betty, much encouraged by her wel- 
come, sank wearily down on a stump and told 
her whole story, from the time she swung onto 
the car that morning, up to the moment 
she dropped off the fence into the turnip 
patch. 

The farmer and his wife listened attentively 
to every word, only interrupting her to ask: 

The man you called ‘ Beetle Brows,’ was he 
real dark-complected, and sorter lame in one 
leg?” 

Yes,” said Betty briefly. 


58 


THE TAMING OP BETTY 


“ An^ t’other one was smooth-faced, warn’t 
he, with a scar along down his cheek? ” 

Betty nodded. 

That’s them,” said the farmer. Buck 
White and Jim Jones. The law wants ’em, 
and wants ’em bad. Go on, sissy.” 

So then I slipped down and ran across the 
fields here just as fast as I could run,” said 
Betty, and I’d like a drink of water, please ; 
and then if you’ll tell me where Mrs. Braxton 
does live. I’ll go on again and find the place.” 

“ Now, that’s real plucky in you,” said the 
woman, but I don’t reckon you’d hardly get 
there to-night, if you had to walk. 

‘‘ It’s a good piece down the right fork of 
the road — five miles, I reckon, if it’s one.” 

Then, seeing the look of despair on Betty’s 
face, she added kindly : You come in here, 
and let me wash them hands and knees, and 
give you some milk and bread, and soon as my 
old man gets through the patch, he’ll hook up 
and drive you down. You look clean tuckered 
out.” 

Betty hesitated. I don’t like to give you 
so much trouble,” she said. 

“ Shucks ! ’tain’t no trouble, sis,” said the 
man. Mis’ Braxton buys a lot of eggs and 


BETTY^S HOME-COMING 


59 


garden truck from me, and I^d be real proud 
to do anything for any of her friends. Be- 
sides, I kin carry a load down this evenin^ and 
kill two birds with one stone.” 

Meanwhile Betty^s folks,” as Beetle 
Brows called them, were growing hourly more 
and more miserable about her. 

Grandmama had sent or telephoned to all 
their relatives and friends and even acquaint- 
ances to know if Betty had stopped by on her 
way from school, and her heart sank as each 
fresh message came that nothing had been 
seen of her. 

“ I left her on the corner shouting things at 
me as gay as a lizard,” Jack said over and 
over in answer to grandmama^s questions. 

Then an idea came to him, and he put on 
his cap and ran down the street, saying he 
would be back in a few minutes. 

The look on his face when he came in told 
grandmama that he had no good news for her, 
but she was not prepared to hear the worst — 
that Betty had not been to school at all that 
day. Miss Maitland had not seen her. 

I am sure she has been stolen,” cried 
grandmama when Betty’s father came up to 


60 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


dinner, and she had told him that Betty could 
not be found. 

My dear Mrs. Andrews, I am sure you are 
distressing yourself unnecessarily,” he said 
lightly. Betty is nothing if not dramatic, 
and she is only waiting at some friend’s house 
till she thinks we are all worked up to the 
proper pitch of excitement, and then she will 
come bounding in with one of those annoying 
whoops of hers and be welcomed with open 
arms. She is quite capable of taking care of 
herself, I am sure. Have you telephoned to 
the Corbins?” 

Yes, everywhere,” said grandmama de- 
spairingly. “ Even to Mary Braxton’s, for I 
thought there might be a possibility of her 
running away to avoid school.” 

Running away ! ” thundered Mr. Ran- 
dolph, aroused at last. 

Elizabeth would not dare defy me by 
running away from a school I have chosen for 
her. 

I shall go out at once, and see that she is 
found and brought home, and she shall be 
properly punished for this behavior, I assure 
you.” 

“ Properly punished,” said grandmama to 


BETTY’S HOME-COMING 


61 


herself, as he strode furiously from the room. 

That is always his watchword. Does he 
think he can ever tame my wild little girl by 
‘ proper punishment ’ ! ” and she went back to 
her dreary watch at the library window more 
miserable than ever to think of what Betty 
would have to face if she ever came home 
again. 

Dinner was a gloomy meal that day, and 
Jack, who took his seat with a very misty look 
in his eyes, choked up and left the table before 
dessert was served. 

Just as Mr. Kandolph and Uncle John were 
starting out again for news from the Chief of 
Police, who had sent half a dozen of his men 
out to search for Betty, a sharp ring at the 
telephone stopped them, and they heard 
grandmama say: Who is it? Mary Brax- 
ton? Oh, thank God, my child is safe! You 
will keep her till morning? Yes, I agree with 
you that a good night’s rest is the best thing 
for her now. I will send her mammy to meet 
the nine-o’clock car. You don’t know what a 
load you have lifted from our hearts, my dear. 
Good-night.” 

And she v/ent upstairs with a radiant smile 
on her face to tell the good news to Betty’s 


62 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


mother, who by this time was on the verge of 
hysteria. 

Betty was escorted from the car next morn- 
ing by Jack and mammy, and heard with 
great surprise of how very uneasy they had all 
been the evening before. 

I never thought of that at all,^’ she said. 

“ I knew grandmama would miss me, so I 
asked Mrs. Braxton to telephone as soon as I 
got there, but I never imagined any one else 
would. Did father? ’’ she asked rather wist- 
fully. 

Uncle Tom was pretty well worried,” said 
Jack, evading the question. There is grand- 
mama at the window, now, looking out for 
you.” 

Betty was soon the center of an attentive 
circle, telling her story with hands and eyes 
as well as lips, for, as her father truly said, 
she was nothing if not dramatic. 

School was forgotten for the moment, with 
all its attendant ills, in the delight of being at 
home again. 

She felt as if she had been away weeks, and 
as she told of her escape from the buckboard, 
and how she had climbed into a tree and 
hidden till the danger of discovery was over. 


BETTY^S HOME-COMING 


63 


Jack bit his lip with envy, for Betty had had 
a real adventure, while he sat quietly in school 
and “ did ” his lessons like a good little boy. 

Grandmama^s eyes were filled with tears of 
thankfulness that her child had come safely 
through so much danger, and Uncle John 
beamed upon her from the hearthrug, and 
Betty was feeling very proud and happy, in- 
deed, when her father^s voice broke in upon 
them. 

“ Now that you have quite finished relating 
your adventures, Elizabeth,” he said with cold 
sarcasm, I should like to see you alone in my 
room for a few minutes.” 

Grandmama gave him an imploring glance 
as he walked out of the room, but he chose not 
to see it, and Betty followed him like a little 
culprit. 

She had seen from the very moment she 
entered the house, that her father was seri- 
ously displeased with her, but she hoped when 
she told him of her narrow escape he might 
overlook her misdeeds in his satisfaction that 
she was safe and sound. 

But Mr. Kandolph had other ideas than 
thankfulness for the return of the prodigal. 

That Betty had chosen to defy his authority 


04 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


was of far greater moment to him just now 
than that she had come home alive and well; 
and he had spent some of the hours which 
were so long and miserable to grandmama in 
devising a mode of punishment which he 
thought would fit the disobedience, and teach 
her a never-to-be-forgotten lesson. 

Betty’s heart quailed as her father motioned 
her to a chair, and shut the door. 

Jack had grinned so delightedly when she 
stepped off the car; mammy had put both 
arms around her in the street, and lifted her 
up as if she had been a baby, and grandmama 
and Aunt Berta had given her such rapturous 
hugs when she came home. 

And now to have her mother refuse to see 
her till lunch time, and her father greet her 
with coldness and a cut-and-dried lecture, or 
even worse punishment, was more than she 
could stand; and her eyes filled with great 
tears which rolled down her cheeks and 
splashed unheeded into her lap. 

Ah,” said her father presently, eying her 
coldly. I am glad to see that you have at 
last awakened to some sense of your abomi- 
nable behavior, Elizabeth. 

I have told you ever since you were old 


BETTY^S HOME-COMING 65 

enough to understand me that I would exact 
obedience from you. 

I have had occasion to repeat this remark 
many times lately, until, weary with the repe- 
tition, I have concluded to fix it in your 
memory in some other way. 

I have no words to express the feeling 
with which I heard that a daughter of mine 
had run away from her home like any common 
street child. 

“ Your mother has been made wretchedly 
ill by the anxiety you caused her, and your 
grandmother forced me, unwilling as I was, 
to give your name — my name — to the officer in 
the police court, that his men might search for 
you in the streets, as they would for a waif 
of the gutter^ 

This, added to the fact that you deliber- 
ately disobeyed me, has proved to me conclu- 
sively that you need some other authority over 
you than that of an indulgent grandmother. I 
shall therefore send you 

Oh, not to prison, father — not to prison ! ’’ 
cried poor Betty, whose one idea of authority 
was the man who guarded the chain gang. 

Prison? Nonsense said her father 
severely. 


66 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


There are times, Elizabeth, when I really 
wonder if you have your full allotment of 
brains. 

I was going to say — when you so rudely 
interrupted me — to Rutledge, Miss Worthing- 
ton’s boarding school, near Coventry. 

There will be no opportunity for spoiling 
you there,” he added grimly ; and I have 
already written to say that I will take you up 
myself on Thursday. 

“ Spare me those tears, if you please. I 
have quite decided. Do you understand me? 
Quite. 

As I shall break this news to your grand- 
mother myself, I shall not trouble you to cross 
this threshold until lunch time, when you may 
go in to beg your mother’s pardon for the 
miserable hours you caused her yesterday. 
Have I made myself quite clear? ” 

Without another word or glance he walked 
from the room, shutting the door behind him, 
and Betty was left face to face with the great- 
est grief she had ever known. 

At first she was far too stunned even to 
think. She got up from her chair and walked 
to the window in a dazed fashion and looked 
out into the garden. 


BETTY’S HOME-COMING 


67 


Joyce and Julianna were flying down the 
middle walk with Billy barking at their heels ; 
and over there where the scarlet geraniums 
grew she could see her grandmama’s pretty 
white cap bending over them, while Old Unc’ 
Jim stood respectfully beside her, hat in hand. 

Then the real meaning of her father’s words 
came over Betty in a wave of hopeless despair, 
as she realized that in two days she would 
have to leave this beautiful garden and the 
grandmama whom she loved best on earth; 
not for a few hours at a time, but for days and 
weeks and months, and she laid her brown 
head down on the window sill and sobbed as 
if her heart would break. 


CHAPTER VI 


BOARDING SCHOOL 

The next two days passed like a dream to 
Betty. 

Through all *the bustle of preparation she 
was only conscious that every one was kinder 
to her than ever before. 

Grandmama caught her in her arms and 
kissed her and cried over her many times a 
day. Aunt Berta talked to her gently be- 
tween moments of shopping and packing. 
Jack lavished his last dollar on a spangled 
gauze fan which he thrust into her hand as a 
parting gift, and rushed off that she might 
not notice the redness of his eyelids. And 
even her mother forgot sometimes to say 
donff,^^ and took a languid interest in the 
samples Aunt Berta brought for her to select 
Betty^s winter coat from. 

For her father had positively refused to 
allow her to wait even a day for so unimpor- 
tant a thing as a winter outfit, saying that as 


BOARDING SCHOOL 


69 


Eutledge was only three and a half hours by 
express from home, he had every reason to 
believe that such matters could easily be at- 
tended to in Betty^s absence. 

Then came the last hours when Betty bade 
a tearful good-bye to the garden and the dear 
sheltering Arms of Jacob ; to Nick, who 
rubbed his nose against her sleeve as if trying 
to tell her he understood, and Billy capering 
about her with sympathetic barks; to the 
family and mammy, and finally to grand- 
mama, who held her close and whispered : My 
precious child, you will never know how 
dearly grandmama loves you.’^ 

And then — in less than a minute it seemed 
to Betty — she was sitting beside her father 
on the train which was taking her further and 
further away from all she loved best in the 
world. 

She sat in her chair stolidly, not shedding 
a tear, for she had learned to dread her 
father’s contempt for such weakness; but her 
eyes burned with the effort to keep them back, 
and her heart felt as heavy as lead. 

She looked up into her father’s face, with 
its cold, gray eyes, the aquiline nose and thin, 
well cut lips, sternly pressed together and 


70 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


wondered how it would feel to have him put 
his arms around her and lift her to his knee 
as Uncle John did Joyce and Julianna. 

In all her life she could scarcely remember 
a pleasant Avord from him, and many times 
when she was a small child, a cold look from 
his eyes had sent her crying from the room. 

It must be the nicest thing in the world 
to have a father who really is fond of you,’’ 
Betty said to herself for the hundredth time. 

It was very tiresome sitting there so quietly 
for such a restless little girl, but she remem- 
bered her father’s dislike of fidgety children, 
and tried very hard to keep still. 

There were no interesting people in the 
car to watch, not even a crying baby to 
make a sly face at now and then, so Betty 
leaned her head against the chair cushion and 
fell to wondering what all the dear people at 
home were doing, and hoped they were think- 
ing of her. 

Presently she opened her small satchel and 
took out the gauze fan which Jack had pre- 
sented her with. 

He thought all girls liked fans, he* had said, 
and Betty smiled to herself as she wondered 
what use she could possibly have for a gauze 


BOARDING SCHOOL 


71 


fan at a boarding school in winter time. 

But I shall keep it always,” she said to her- 
self, because I know Jack spent all his al- 
lowance on it.” 

Her father put down his paper and looked 
at her. What under heaven are you doing 
with that gauze fan, Elizabeth?” he asked. 

I will not allow you to take such fripperies 
to school. I don^t know what you were think- 
ing of to bring it. 

Here, give it to me,” he added, opening the 
window and reaching out his hand for it. 

Betty clutched it tightly. 

Oh, you won’t throw it away, father,” she 
pleaded. Why, Jack spent all the money he 
had on it as a present to me.” 

“ Give me the fan,” said her father, still 
holding out his hand. 

Betty reluctantly handed it to him, and a 
moment later it was whirling through the air 
like a little white butterfly and whisked out 
of sight. 

You will please remember that you are 
going to Kutledge to improve your mind and 
your manners,” said Mr. Randolph, pulling 
the window down. I want no nonsense from 
you there. 


72 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


I shall ask Miss Worthington to send me a 
special report of your conduct week by week, 
and I shall give her my full permission to 
punish you as she thinks best if you do not 
conform strictly to her rules. 

Ah ! as the train stopped. “ This is Cov- 
entry, I see. The next station is Kutledge.” 

Betty’s lip quivered as she gathered her 
small belongings together, but she said not a 
word. 

She was learning self-control. 

They drove up a winding road and across 
a little bridge, and began to mount the hill 
on the top of which she caught a glimpse now 
and then of a white-pillared porch through 
the trees. 

It was growing dusk and the half-light made 
everything seem vast to Betty’s unaccustomed 
eyes. 

As they drove around a circle and drew up 
in front of the door Miss Worthington herself 
came out to meet them ; tall and digni- 
fied, with piercing black eyes which seemed 
to Betty to look straight down into her heart 
and read all the rebellious thoughts that were 
hidden there. But she welcomed them in a 
charming voice and led the way into the house. 


BOARDING SCHOOL 


73 


Mr. Eandolpli refused her invitation to sup- 
per, saying that he must catch the evening- 
express home, but that he would like a few 
words with her before leaving. 

He gave Betty a perfunctory peck on the 
cheek, said in a low tone, Remember that 
your conduct is to be reported to me every 
week,’’ and turned to follow Miss Worthing- 
ton to her private study. 

The big square hall was full of girls, all 
ages, all sizes, and they stared at Betty as only 
schoolgirls can stare until their curiosity is 
satisfied. 

Presently the smallest one came up and 
said : I think you must be Elizabeth Ran- 

dolph, aren’t you? My name is Helen Haines, 
and Miss Worthington says you are to share 
my room, as we are the youngest girls in 
school. 

Will you go up now, or wait to tell your 
father good-bye? ” 

You inhuman child,” cried one of the big 
girls who was standing near. Of course, she 
wants to catch the very last glimpse of her 
father’s coat tails as he goes down the hill. 
We all do when we are about to be left at 
school. Now don’t you?” turning to Betty. 


74 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


I — he has said good-bye to me,’^ said Betty, 
covered with mortification that she should be 
thought different from the other girls. 

I — don’t believe he has anything else to 
say.” 

Ah, sometimes they add a postscript in a 
note, a bank note, I mean,” said the big girl 
gayly. You surely wish to wait for that? 
No? 

“ Well, Helen, as your friend seems to be 
neither sentimental nor mercenary, she must 
be sleepy, so the sooner you take her upstairs, 
the better,” and she ran off, laughing, to join 
a group of girls at the piano. 

She’s awfully nice,” said Helen, as they 
went upstairs together. ‘‘ Her name is Anita 
Marsh, and she is from Texas; and just think, 
she is too far away from her home to go back 
for the Christmas holidays; isn’t that awful?” 

Awful,” said Betty solemnly, as they 
walked down the long corridor with doors on 
either side, I can’t possibly think of any- 
thing worse.” 

“ This is our room,” said Helen, opening the 
door and leading the way in. 

Betty looked about her. It was a very clean, 
tidy little room. The furniture was T\^hite, and 


BOARDING SCHOOL 75 

there were two little white beds which looked 
most inviting to her tired eyes. 

We are just next door to Miss Brown, one 
of the teachers/’ said Helen, and she comes 
flying out if there is the least noise. The girls 
call her ^ Watch Dog,’ and none of them like 
her.” 

Do you? ” asked Betty. 

“ I have been taught never to dislike any of 
my teachers,” said Helen primly. It would 
be treating them with disrespect.” 

Betty turned and stared at her. It seemed 
such a queer thing to say. 

But Helen stood unconsciously with her 
hands folded in front of her, her light-blue eyes 
framed in spectacles fixed on the wall oppo- 
site, and her hair hanging in two meek, sub- 
dued plaits down her back, as unlike Betty’s 
tousled curls as it was possible for two heads 
of hair to be. 

A gong sounded in the distance and came 
nearer and nearer till the clamor was almost 
deafening. 

“ That’s the dressing gong,” explained 
Helen. You had better wash your face and 
hands and brush your hair so you will be ready 
for supper. Shall I wait for you? ” 


76 


THE TAMING OP BETTY 


“ Oh, please do ! cried Betty, growing sud- 
denly timid at the thought of facing all those 
strange girls downstairs. 

In the big schoolroom the girls formed in 
line, the oldest leading the way, and marched 
single file into the dining room. 

Betty was given a seat between Helen and 
Anita, and the latter took it upon herself to 
enlighten her ignorance at once. 

‘‘ What’s your name, you little brown-eyed 
girl? Betty? Well, Betty, you seem to me 
hardly old enough to be taken from your 
mother. What do you think of the old frump 
with the goggles at the end of our table? ” 

Helen says it isn’t proper to speak dis- 
respectfully of one’s teachers.” 

Helen ! that little Miss Prim ! You are 
not going to model yourself according to her 
ideas, are you? If you do I wash my hands of 
you.” 

No, I am not,” said Betty, glad to have 
some one to take an interest in her. I’ll tell 
you what I think. I think she only needs a 
broomstick to make her a witch.” 

“ Good,” said Anita, I agree perfectly. 
That’s Miss Brown, and she wears a wig as 
you can see, for ^ she’s got no wool on the top 


BOARDING SCHOOL 77 

of her head in the place where the wool ought 
to grow/ 

I don’t see how she gets it to stick on at 
all, do you? And I verily believe she has 
fox’s ears under it, for you can’t take a long 
breath that she does not hear you. 

Miss Worthington’s table is where most of 
the ^ old girls ’ sit. I am an old girl, but a new 
girl. I mean this is my first year here, so 
they make me sit at the table with you kids. 

Next to Miss Worthington’s is the French 
table and the German table is beyond. 

Each girl has to sit there for a week at a 
time to perfect her eating vocabulary. Frau- 
lein’s a horror, but I just dote on Ma’amselle 
Gralfe. 

Do you think you will be homesick? ” 
Betty turned away her head and swallowed 
to keep back the sob that would rise in her 
throat. 

Oh ! I say, I’m awfully sorry I asked 
you that,” murmured Anita penitently. But 
you’ll soon get over it, you know ; I did.” 

Before Betty could answer. Miss Worthing- 
ton tapped a little bell and they marched back 
to the schoolroom where she read prayers. 

I shall excuse you from study hour to- 


78 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


night/’ she said to Betty as she went out^ leav- 
ing the room in charge of Miss Brown. 

Helen may go with you and show you where 
to put your things.” 

Poor Betty! how long she lay awake that 
night listening to the unaccustomed country 
sounds, she did not know. 

At home grandmama always peeped in to 
say good-night, and mammy tucked her into 
bed and opened the window and turned the 
light down low, but here she felt like a 
stranger in a strange land. 

The house seemed so huge. There were so 
many girls, and they all stared so, and her 
roommate, Helen, was so depressingly quiet 
and good. 

Even Anita, whom she liked better than 
any one else, had a way of laughing at you 
sometimes that made you feel very uncom- 
fortable, and besides she was one of the big 
girls, and could not be expected to notice 
Betty very often. 

Oh, for one good scrimmage with Joyce and 
Julianna! For a talk with Jack — Jack, who 
had real tears in his eyes when he kissed her 
good-bye and had given her — had given her — 
here the remembrance of the fan proved too 


BOARDING SCHOOL 


79 


much for Betty, and she crammed the end 
of the sheet into her month so that Helen 
could not hear, and sobbed herself to sleep. 

She awoke next morning with the idea that 
mammy was building her fire and had dropped 
the fire-irons, and without opening her eyes 
she said sleepily : Good-morning, mammy ; is 
it time to get up?” 

An unfamiliar voice answered with a laugh. 

Where do you think you are, at home? ” 
And Betty opened her eyes from a blissful 
dream of home to the little white room, and 
Helen sitting on the fioor beside her bed, pull- 
ing her stockings on. 

You had better get up,” said Helen. 

That was the rising gong you heard.” 

I will,” said Betty wearily, when my 
bath is ready.” 

“ Your bath,” echoed Helen. We have the 
bathrooms on this corridor on Mondays, Wed- 
nesdays, and Saturdays, and we have to draw 
our own baths.” 

Betty sat up in bed. Isn’t any one com- 
ing to help us dress? ” she asked. I never 
fastened my own frock in my life.” 

“ My! you are helpless,” said Helen, with a 
sneer. 


80 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


I suppose I’ll have to do it for you till 
you learn how. You’ll be late for breakfast 
if you don’t hurry,” she added, disappearing 
behind a screen for her own ablutions. 

The whole day seemed to Betty to be cut 
into slices of varying thickness. 

A bell rang, and she had a half-hour slice at 
lunch, another bell, and an hour’s slice of 
history was doled out to her. 

The recess slice seemed the very smallest of 
all, for out in the delicious air and sunshine 
Betty became more like her old romping, tom- 
boyish self once more, and entered into the 
various games with so much spirit that even 
the older girls, who walked about in twos with 
their arms around each other, stopped to 
watch her and said they did not know the 
little thing had so much life in her.” 

All too soon the bells began to ring again 
and speedily became a weariness to the flesh 
to poor Betty, unaccustomed as she was to 
routine. 

In the arithmetic class she could pay no 
attention to the lesson for adding up the long 
dreary weeks before Christmas, and reducing 
them to hours and minutes and seconds, and 
the result filled her with such dismay that she 


BOARDING SCHOOL 


81 


buried her head in her hands and groaned 
aloud, to the utter bewilderment of Helen 
Haines. 

But the last straw came when immediately 
after dinner the girls were rung into the big 
schoolroom where they sat — to judge some of 
them by their gloomy faces — in joyless antici- 
pation; while Miss Worthington, followed by 
Miss Brown, carrying a pad and pencil, 
walked in her stately way down the aisle and 
took her seat before the desk at the end of the 
room. 

Here she opened a large book and called out 
the names of each girl in alphabetical order, 
and the girl answered Oheck,’^ or Cross,’’ 
in a voice to match. 

It’s just like the Judgment Day,” Betty 
whispered, in an awe-struck voice, as Anita 
replied Cross ” to her name, and explained 
to her in a low tone that as she had attended a 
midnight supper and had cut ” prayers twice, 
she could not give in a check,” which would 
mean that her conduct had been perfect dur- 
ing the week. 

“ Each cross gives you ten lines of poetry to 
learn,” she went on, but a conduct-cross 
means no recess for two days.” 


82 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Miss Worthington calls it her ^ honor sys- 
tem/ and I suppose it is all right for girls who 
really have any honor, but Delia Eobinson 
always gives in ‘ Check, ^ no matter what she 
has done, and so do some of the others. 

Old ^ Watch Dog ’ Brown puts them all 
down in her little book, and Saturday we keep 
her busy hearing us recite our lines. It^s a 
poor rule that doesn^t work both ways. She 
keeps us in and we keep her in.’^ 

Then Betty went up to her room and sat 
looking out of the window. 

She was very homesick and very miserable. 
She disliked her roommate, with her prim, 
precise ways, and her round blue eyes staring 
reproachfully through the big goggles. The 
rules and bells made her head ache, as she de- 
tested this way of confessing your sins and 
punishing yourself at the end of each week. 

All of the girls were older than she was, ex- 
cept Helen, and, you might just as well ex- 
pect an owl to have any fun in him as Helen,^’ 
she said to herself. 

No, she could never stand it till Christmas ! 

How she wished now that she had never 
run away. 

Miss Maitland^s school was not so bad after 


BOARDING SCHOOL 


83 


all. Indeed, it seemed a paradise now, when 
she thought of its many privileges, its short 
hours, and the blessed home-coming each day 
to grand mama and the dear old garden. How 
foolish she had been ! 

She knew that she had done wrong, but this 
punishment was more than she could bear. 

Her father had no right to send her away. 
Betty’s heart w^as filled with bitter indigna- 
tion against him. 

No other girl of her age w'ent to a boarding 
school except Helen, and Helen had no father 
or mother, only two maiden aunts to look 
after her. 

a There must be some way of escaping from 
this hateful place,” she groaned, as she argued 
the situation out with herself. 

Suppose she took that train at the foot of 
the hill; but then, her father would surely 
send her back again. 

If she ran away? But there w^as no one 
near Rutledge to whom she could run, and her 
recent experience had made her a little too 
timid to venture about in a strange place. 

Perhaps, if she got sick. Miss Worthington 
w^ould send her home. But she remembered 
Anita had pointed to a wing of the house. 


84 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


which she called the Infirmary/’ and had said, 
There’s where you go when you are sick.” 

Was there nothing left her then but to grin 
and endure it ! She felt hopeless, like a blind 
man groping in a strange room for some means 
of exit. 

Suddenly there came to her mind a conver- 
sation whicli she had once heard between 
grandmama and Uncle John. 

It was about Will Corbin, her cousin, who 
was at the University. 

Uncle John had said he was a gay chap, and 
in a fair way to be expelled, and when she 
asked him what expelled ” meant, he told her 
it was breaking the rules and being sent home 
by the professors. 

Betty’s heart gave a delighted bound. 

This, then, was the one sure way of getting 
home. She would spend her days in learning 
by heart all the rules, and then she would 
break them, one after another, just as fast as 
she possibly could. 

And, with a look of radiant delight, she 
clasped her hands tightly together, jumped 
up from her seat by the window, and raced 
through the halls to make her deliverance sure 
and speedy. 


CHAPTER VII 


THE REBELLION OP JOYCE 

While Betty was becoming acquainted with 
her teachers and schoolmates, and learning 
the rules and regulations of her school with 
every intention of breaking them all, Jack was 
winning a great many golden opinions for 
himself at home. 

One of Betty’s favorite arguments with Miss 
Bowers had been that studying came as nat- 
ural to Jack as idling did to her, find there 
was a great deal of truth in it, for Jack’s nine 
or ten years of bad health had given him a 
real love for books, and he was well advanced 
for his age. 

Moreover, winning his race at the fair 
proved to be a great feather in his cap, for on 
the strength of it he was made captain of his 
football team, and brought his men safely 
through many hard-fought matches with a 
rival school. 

He missed Betty cruelly at first, but as the 
85 


86 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


days went by and be grew more and more ac- 
customed to her absence, be consoled bimself 
with “ some of tbe fellows,” and tbe garden 
saw but little of bim. 

Meanwhile it was with a sigb of relief that 
Miss Bowers learned that ber charges for the 
coming year were to be Julianna, wuth whom 
every one was on good terms, Joyce, rather an 
uncertain quantity, and their small cousin, 
Katy Corbin, whose age just fitted between 
theirs. 

It was not to be denied that Miss Bowers 
was an awesome personage to look at, for her 
large, bony frame seemed built of angles, and 
her light gray eyes, peering through short- 
sighted glasses, and her abrupt, rather 
nervous manner were not conducive to the 
peace of mind of the idle and unwary. 

For the first week or two after Betty’s de- 
parture, Joyce seemed greatly subdued, and 
Miss Bowers was beginning to congratulate 
herself that she had the children well in hand 
at last, but to her dismay small signs of re- 
bellion soon began to crop out in Joyce, 
and communicated themselves to the gentle 
Julianna, until finally even Katy Corbin, 
usually as timid as a little dove, began to 


THE REBELLION OF JOYCE 87 

ruffle her plumage and strut at Joyce’s com- 
mand. 

Miss Bowers scolded and punished, but this 
merely added fuel to the flames, until at last 
one day matters came to a climax. 

The weather was all one could ask of dying 
October, bright, crisp, and delicious, and Juli- 
anna had gotten permission for them all to 
walk up the street a little way to meet Miss 
Bowers. 

Once out, Joyce subtly suggested that as 
Miss Bowers usually came up G Street, she 
might perhaps try F Street to-day, just for a 
change. 

But Miss Bowers was a most methodical 
person, as Joyce well knew, and as a glance at 
her face — when, after a delicious taste of lib- 
erty, they bustled innocently into the school- 
room a long half-hour after the usual time, 
proved conclusively to the others. 

Julianna’s tender conscience smote her, and 
she resolved forthwith on a raid upon grand- 
mama’s choicest chrysanthemums as a peace 
offering as soon as recess came, but Joyce’s 
heart hardened as Miss Bowers said sharply: 

Since it appears to have been your idea to 
unnecessarily prolong your morning’s walk, 


88 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Joyce, you may commit ten verses of Shelley’s 
^ Ode to a Skylark ’ to memory, and recite 
them to me to-morrow morning.” 

I’ll pay her back for that, if I live, 
mean old thing!” muttered Joyce under her 
breath, digging her pen viciously into her 
copybook. 

Surely there was never such a long morning. 
The hands of the little schoolroom clock 
seemed hardly to move, and Katy’s voice, as it 
droned heavily through the multiplication 
table, was a vexation to the soul. 

The garden beckoned invitingly to Joyce, 
who, from her seat by the window, gazed long- 
ingly out upon it whenever Miss Bowers’ back 
was turned. 

Now and then a shrill whistle reached her 
ears from the direction of the “ Arms of Ja- 
cob,” where Jack, whose eye was recovering 
from the effects of a football scrimmage, 
loafed lazily. 

Will twelve o’clock never come? ” sighed 
Joyce to herself. At last the schoolroom bell 
tinkled reluctantly, and with whoops and 
bounds in excellent imitation of Betty, the 
three prisoners raced out of the room. 

^^How was she?” asked Jack, coming to 


THE REBELLION OF JOYCE 89 

meet them with a pathetic looking green patch 
over one eye. 

“ Hatefuller ’n ever,” said Joyce, scowling 
at the memory of those ten verses of poetry to 
be learned, but I’m going to get even with 
her.” 

How? ” asked Jack, amused. 

“Never mind how,” said Joyce, “you just 
wait and see. Where’s that spade I hid out 
here under the syringa bush, Katy? We’ll 
never get to China if we don’t work harder.” 

“ What a silly child you are, Joyce,” said 
Jack, laughing. “ You don’t really think you 
are going to dig through to China with ^ your 
little spade and shovel,’ do you?” 

Joyce poised her spade in the air and eyed 
him severely. 

“ You are the silly,” she said presently, very 
contemptuously. “ You prob’bly believe that 
the world is round.” 

“ I’ve been told so,” said Jack, still smiling. 

“ Well, then, stupid, if we dig and dig, we’re 
bound to get to China some time, aren’t we? 
It is just under our feet. Miss Bowers said so.” 

“Oh, Miss Bowers!” said Jack provok- 
ingly. “ She’s been there, then, has she? ” 

“No, she hasn’t,” retorted Joyce angrily; 


90 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


and it doesn’t make any difference what she 
says, anyway, but the — the geography says so, 
too, and you’ll be sorry enough some day, Mr. 
Johnnybud, when we suddenly come upon the 
idols with the diamond eyes, and the gold and 
silver animals in the temples, won’t he, 
Katy? ” 

Course he will,” said Katy, whose imagi- 
nation was instantly fired. Here, hand over 
that spade, Joyce, and I’ll dig some myself.” 

The tunnel to China had become Joyce’s 
pet scheme, and she worked at it early and 
late when she was not in the schoolroom. 

Dey’s gittin’ a hole out thar th’ee feet 
deep an’ gittin’ deeper,” complained old Unc’ 
Jim to grandmama. 

Never mind,” she said, let them alone, 
and they will soon tire of it, and be glad 
enough for you to fill it up for them.” 

Jack looked on with lazy interest at the 
busy workers. 

What’s Julianna doing over there? ” he 
asked presently, nodding his head in the di- 
rection of a small white figure fiying energeti- 
cally about in the sunshine. 

Catching grasshoppers,” answered Joyce 
shortly. 


THE REBELLION OF JOYCE 91 

What on earth is she going to do with 
grasshoppers? 

That’s my business/’ retorted Joyce 
rudely, for she felt sore at being called a 
silly child ” by her big brother. Then she 
relented. If you’ll come up to the school- 
room with us after recess, I’ll show you,” she 
said. 

Presently she called out suddenly : Look 
out there, Julianna! Stop your ears up, she’s 
going to ring ! ” 

It was an old trick of Betty’s, and four pairs 
of hands went up simultaneously, as the long 
arm of Miss Bowers thrust itself from the 
schoolroom window and vigorously sawed the 
air with the hell. 

I didn’t hear it, did you? ” asked Katy. 

Oh, no, I never do,” answered Joyce indif- 
ferently. “ How many did you get, Juli- 
anna? ” 

Twenty,” panted Julianna breathlessly, 
holding out a small paper bag; which was 
crackling with the animation of the impris- 
oned hoppers, and I really think, Joyce, you 
might tell me what you’re going to do with 
them, as I had all the trouble of catching 
them; and, anyhow, I heard the bell.” 


92 


THE TAMING OF BETTf 


Now, isn’t that just like Julianna!” said 
Joyce furiously, appealing to Jack. 

Well, I suppose we’ll just have to go in 
now, and we haven’t dug three good inches.” 
They climbed the stairs slowly. On the top 
landing they met Miss Bowers coming down. 

How are you. Jack? and how is your eye? ” 
she asked cordially. Go up and take your 
seats quietly, children, your mother wishes to 
speak to me for a moment.” 

Bully for her,” said Joyce, as they went 
in; then she made a dive for Miss Bowers’ 
desk, which stood in the middle of the floor, 
and emptied the contents of the bag into it, 
shutting down the lid carefully. 

Why, what good children ! ” said Miss 
Bowers, coming in a few minutes later. 

Now, Joyce, we will have your history les- 
son. Where is the book? ” 

I think you put it in your desk. Miss 
Bowers,” said Joyce in her most polite voice. 

Ah, so I did, I remember,” said Miss Bow- 
ers, throwing open the lid. 

There was a wild shriek ! 

Twenty grasshoppers made a bold, brave 
dash for liberty, and at least half of the num- 
ber encountered some such obstacle as Miss 


THE REBELLION OF JOYCE 93 

Bowers’ hair, her eye-glasses, or her collar in 
their flight. 

She rose, trembling with rage and nervous- 
ness. It seemed to Joyce that she would never 
stop rising. She wondered hazily how many 
inches it was possible for one to grow in a few 
minutes. 

“Joyce!” she said sternly, as soon as she 
could control her voice. “ You did this? ” 

“ Yes, Miss Bowsers.” 

The grasshoppers were still making fldgety 
leaps about the room, and Miss Bowers winced 
at each leap. Jack manfully restrained a de- 
sire to giggle. 

“ You will come at once with me to your 
mother,” said Miss Bowers very coldly. 

It was growing dusk in the schoolroom. 
Joyce felt very much of a culprit, indeed, 
when the long hours passed, and no one came 
to release her. 

The grasshoppers had been tenderly gath- 
ered up by Julianna, whose soft heart would 
not allow her to leave them “ so far from their 
homes all night,” as she expressed it. And 
so Joyce was left with only remorse — a dull 
companion — to keep her company. 


94 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


She played tit-tat-toe on the blackboard 
with an imaginary partner till she was tired. 

She drew frightful caricatures of a skeleton- 
like Miss Bowers surrounded by gigantic 
grasshoppers; and finally, much bored, she 
ransacked a small cubby-hole, as a last resort, 
for an old tarlatan skirt which she kept there 
for dressing-up ’’ occasions, and throwing it 
over her head, minced up an imaginary aisle 
with a feather duster for a bridal bouquet, 
chanting the Wedding March in exultant 
tones. 

Now, even that had palled, and she was a 
fairy, dancing in the fairy ring by the light of 
the fire-flies — but what should she do for fire- 
fiies? A box of matches on the end of the 
mantel caught her eye, and she climbed up 
and got it, and, holding a match carefully 
between each finger of her left hand, she 
touched them off with the one in her right. 

That was fine fun, and she pranced about 
the fioor delightedly in an illuminated dance. 

Just at that moment Jack, with a lively 
“ Hello ! appeared at the porch window, and 
with a terrified shriek J oyce dropped her 
matches and fled to the opposite side of the 
room. 


THE REBELLION OF JOYCE 95 

In a second the tarlatan skirt was in a light 
blaze, and, as she screamed with terror, and 
ran back to Jack for protection, the little 
white frock caught, too. 

Quick as a wink Jack sprang through the 
open window, pulled off his coat and threw it 
around her, holding her close to him, and 
striving to crush out the flames with his 
hands. 

Then, as she still clung to him, pinioning his 
arms in her fright, he tripped her up, and fell 
with her on the rug, in which he rolled her over 
and over, till they looked like an enormous 
cocoon. 

Joyce^s shrieks soon brought the whole fam- 
ily flying to the rescue, but now all danger 
was over, for Jack’s coolness and presence of 
mind had saved his small sister from a fright- 
ful death, and she escaped with only a few 
burns about her neck and arms. 

Jack did not get off so easily, for his hands 
and wrists were badly burned, and he groaned 
aloud when he looked at them, not so much 
from the pain as the thought that the great 
football match between the rival teams, to 
which he had been looking forward so eagerly, 
might have to come off without him now. 


96 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


But somehow, even that seemed not to make 
so much difference when his father laid his 
hand affectionately on his shoulder, and said : 
‘‘ I am proud of my boy,’’ in a voice which 
Jack thought none the less pleasing because 
it trembled with emotion. 

As for Joyce, she became his adoring slave 
from that moment. Think what I would be 
now, if Jack hadn’t put me out,” she said to 
Julianna and Katy, — a horrid little chunk 
of fried meat that both of you would have 
turned up your noses at. 

I’m going to adopt Jack for my hero after 
this, instead of Tom Sawyer, and I dare either 
of you to say he isn’t just as brave.” 

And she squared herself and looked so fero- 
cious that the two little girls took hands and 
fled. 


CHAPTEE VIII 


A DAY OF SURPRISES 

“ Thank goodness, thaPs done ! exclaimed 
Betty, shutting her Poetry for Home and 
School ’’ with such a bang that Miss Brown 
jumped violently from her chair and com- 
pletely unsettled her wig. 

Do not be so boisterous, Betty,’’ she said 
crossly, making furtive dabs at the structure 
of puffs and curls on her head. 

What are you smiling at? Come and re- 
cite your lines, if you know them.” 

Betty sauntered up to the desk. 

It was Saturday, and the big schoolroom 
was quite empty save for the half-dozen un- 
fortunates whose conduct during the week en- 
titled them to crosses ” at the end of it. 

With some prompting Betty got through her 
lines in a stumbling fashion. 

It is no use wasting time breaking the lit- 
tle rules,” she said to herself, as she put her 
book away in her desk. It just means sitting 
97 


98 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


here with the ^ Watch Dog’ for company half 
the morning and studying stupid verses. 

I’ve got to find out what the expelling 
rules are and break them.” 

Betty, you are wanted in the study,” said 
Helen Haines, putting her head in at the door. 

‘‘Gracious! Miss Worthington must have 
found it was I who put red pepper on the 
radiators,” muttered Betty, “ and that means 
more crosses and more lines, I suppose.” 

She walked across the hall and knocked on 
the study door. 

Miss Worthington was bending over a pile 
of reports, pen in hand, for it was the first of 
November, and many anxious parents were 
awaiting the preliminary results of a board- 
ing-school experiment. 

“ Have you been good this week, Betty? ” 
she asked, looking up with a smile. 

“Not particularly,” said Betty. “Why, 
Miss Worthington? ” 

“ Because I have such a pleasant surprise 
for you, I hoped you would deserve it.” 

“ Oh, what is it? ” cried Betty, clasping her 
hands tightly, her eyes sparkling with excite- 
ment, while visions of sugar plums danced 
through her head. 



“ I b’lieve she’s g’lad to see her old mammy after all.” 

Page 99. 




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A DAY OF SURPRISES 


99 


A box from home, isn^t it, Miss Worthing- 
ton? Oh, may I open it right away? ” 

“ You may open that outer door right 
away,” said Miss Worthington, with a smile, 

and then ” But a delighted cry from 

Betty drowned the rest of her sentence, for 
there, waiting on the threshold, stood mammy, 
in all the glory of a silk bonnet and discarded 
mantle of grandmama’s, and a smile of wel- 
come on her face as broad as her heart. 

“ Bress de chile,” she said, with what breath 
she had left from Betty^s vigorous welcome, “ I 
believe she’s glad to see her old mammy after 
all.” 

“ ^ Glad ’ isn’t the word for it, mammy,” said 
Betty, pausing in her delighted capers around 
her to give her another bear-like hug. 

“ May she come up to my room, right away. 
Miss Worthington? 

Have you come to take me back wuth you, 
mammy? Oh, it is so good to see some one 
from home again.” 

No, honey, that I ain’t. Ole Miss jes’ sont 
me up to spend de day wid you,” said mammy, 
as Betty led the way upstairs and through the 
long corridors. 

‘^Is that all, mammy?” she said, stopping 




100 


THE TAMING OP BETTY 


short, and looking up at her disconsolately. 

I thought surely I was to go home with you, 
or at least that you had come to stay with me 
always. Won’t you stay with me, mammy? ” 

And leave Ole Miss to dress herse’f ? ” 
asked mammy. You know I cudn’t do dat, 
chile. 

Is dis your room? Umph — humph! 

Well, ’tain’t big enuff for a ole hyah to 
skip in, but it ’pears to be mighty neat. Who 
fixes dat bath for you eb’y mornin’? 

Don’ take it more’n three times a week? 
Now I don’t hold wid no sich on-cleanness. 
I’se goin’ to give you a good scrubbin’ ’forfe 
I leaves dis house to-day.” 

But I’ve already had one bath to-day, 
mammy.” 

Don’t make no diff’unce,” said mammy, 
putting on her specs.” I cyarn go home 
and tell Ole Miss I lef’ her chile on-clean. 
Fotch me all yo’ stockin’s and clo’es, now, and 
set down here and ax me all de questions you 
warn’t to ax whilst I’se darnin’ an’ mendin’.” 

Betty did as she was bid right willingly. 

It was so good to have mammy with her 
even if she had to bear the new disappointment 
of bidding her good-bye again, and so good to 


A DAY OF SURPRISES 


101 


hear all about grandmama, and the tale of 
Joyce and the grasshoppers, and Jack’s pluck 
in saving her from burning up entirely. 

Her eyes sparkled anew with each home 
story mammy told in her characteristic way, 
putting down her work now and then to look 
over her '' specs ” at Betty, or to punctuate a 
sentence with an expressive forefinger. 

You ain’t axed me a word ’bout your ma 
and pa,” she said presently. 

No,” said Betty indifferently, because I 
know father is still rushing down to his office 
at breakneck speed and rushing home again, 
and mama is still lying perfectly quiet on her 
sofa, with every blind drawn.” 

Now dat’s jes’ whar you fool yo’se’f,” 
chuckled mammy, with an air of one who had 
something to tell. 

’Kase dey’s both in New York, gone to see 
de specialty doctah, and he says as how yer 
ma don’t need nuthin’ now but to live out in 
de fresh air to git well.” 

Betty stared round-eyed at this astonishing 
piece of news. 

She had grown so accustomed to the dark- 
ened room and the odor of salts and camphor, 
that it had never occurred to her that her ma- 


102 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


ma could be anything but an invalid for- 
ever. 

Do you mean she can walk out in the gar- 
den and drive, and shop like Aunt Berta? ’’ 
she asked in an awe-struck voice. 

Dat’s de good word,’’ said mammy. 

Yo’ — pa writ it home ’fore I lef’ dis morn’, 
and Ole Miss told me ter tell you. 

But what I tells is dis, honey chile,” she 
said, lowering her voice confidentially. 

‘‘ Yo’ ma has spent so much of her time in 
dat room and on dat sofa she’s got herse’f used 
to it an’ she ain’t a-goin’ to get out of de habit 
in a minute nor a day neither, you hear me,” 
and she wagged her head wisely. 

Betty looked at her a little wistfully. 

Do you think, mammy,” she said pres- 
ently, that mama will like me any better 
when she is well than she does now? ” 

I speck she’ll have more patience wid yo’ 
goin’s-on,” said mammy briefiy. 

Then the door was burst open and Anita 
and Mary Mason came in full of a project to 
make fudge ” right away, but when Betty 
proudly introduced mammy and the old 
woman was fairly started on some of her rare 
fo-de-wah ” stories, they paid her the com- 


A DAY OF SURPRISES 


103 


pliment of forgetting the fudge entirely, and 
the gong sounded for dinner long before they 
were ready for that usually hungry meal. 

Mis^ Wuthn’t’n tole me whar to get my 
dinner, don’t you worry, chile,” she said to 
Betty, putting away the last pair of stockings 
in a neat pile in the drawer. 

‘‘ When you get th’oo yo’s you jes’ meet me 
in de little verandy, ’kase I’se got a s’prise in 
sto’ for you.” 

Another surprise ! ” exclaimed Betty. 

“ Oh, mammy, I do believe this is one of the 
happiest days of my life. It would be the 
very happiest if you would only tell me I 
could go home with you this afternoon ! ” 

Mammy’s wrinkled face softened as she 
said : “You mus’ jes’ try an’ stan’ it a little 
longer, honey. 

“ Yo’ mammy knows it’s powerful hard on 
you bein’ way off by yo’ lone se’f like dis. But 
Chrismus will soon be heah now, den mam- 
my’s cornin’ to fetch you right home, dat she 
is.” 

Betty could hardly eat her dinner for think- 
ing of the surprise mammy had for her. 

She consulted Helen on one side, who sug- 
gested a book, and Anita on the other, who 


104 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


hinted at nothing short of a fruit cake, with- 
out being satisfied with either conjecture ; and 
when Miss Worthington finally tapped her 
bell the three lost no time in getting out to the 
little veranda. 

Mammy had a healthier appetite, however, 
and that combined with the fact that she was 
a “ city lady,” and therefore to be treated with 
much respect by the Kutledge servants, who 
were only country darkies,” kept tliree pairs 
of impatient heels cooling for some time. 

At last she appeared, followed by old Jonas, 
Miss Worthington’s coachman, and stood talk- 
ing earnestly to him till Betty with one of her 
whoops sprang over the railing and descended 
upon them. 

“ Where is my surprise, mammy? ” she 
called out. “ I can’t wait for it another 
minute.” 

Go ’long straight back whar you come 
from,” said mammy severely. 

“ You so haidstrong, chile. I’se mighty 
’feared you’ll knock Marse Peter ober some 
day, strivin’ to bresh pas’ him into de pearly 
gates.” 

Betty reluctantly climbed over the railings 
again, and sat there pouting a little with her 


A DAY OF SURPRISES 


105 


ba’ck to mammy, till a cry from Anita made 
her turn so quickly she almost lost her 
balance. 

Jonas was coming up from the stables, lead- 
ing the very prettiest little sorrel horse im- 
aginable, ready saddled and bridled; arching 
his neck and pricking his ears as he stepped 
lightly and daintily along. 

“Now! Ain’t dat a s’prise wuth waitin’ 
for?” asked mammy proudly. 

“ Hi I What under de sun is de mattah wid 
de chile! Don’t yo’ like him, honey?” for 
Betty had thrown her arms about his pretty 
neck and was sobbing into his mane. 

“ Like him? Oh, of course I do, mammy,” 
she said, lifting her head, with eyes that 
sparkled through her tears. 

“ I love him dearly already, but I’ve been — 
so miserable — for so long — and now to have 
so many happy things come at once, I — I just 
have to cry.” 

“ Ole Miss axed Miss Wuth’n’t’n ef you 
mought have him,” exclaimed mammy, patting 
her shoulder soothingly, “ ’kase she want you 
ter git all de fresh air and sunshine you kin 
swaller, so me an’ ‘ Me’ylegs ’ trabbled up 
togedder to-day. 


106 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Now git on him — hold him stiddy, Mister 
Jonas — but don’t yo’ go a-tearin’ round a- 
breakin’ of yo’ neck; ef you do, Ole Miss 
gonter take him away f om you sho’ ! 

Yo’ ridin’ habit’s in dat little trunk I 
fotch up dis mornin’ wid yer winter clo’es.” 

By the time Betty had cantered around the. 
circle and down the road, and Anita and Helen 
had each had her turn, and a dozen other girls 
had gathered around and declared Merry- 
legs ” to be the best named, best mannered, 
most beautiful horse in the world, mammy’s 
train was due, and Miss Worthington sent her 
to the station in state, with old Jonas to drive 
her, and Anita and Helen to see her off, while 
Betty trotted along beside them as outrider. 

For as mammy declared : Ole Miss 

wouldn’t eben look at dat horse ontel she foun’ 
out he wa’n’t skeered of de Ole Boy hisse’f,” 
and the train would therefore have no terrors 
for him. 

Just tell grandmama that having Merry- 
legs is the next best thing to coming home, 
mammy,” said Betty, giving her a parting 
squeeze. 

“ And, oh, mammy, do come back soon 
again ! ” she called as the train panted and 


A DAY OF SURPRISES 107 

puffed away, and they stood watching it dis- 
appear around the curve. 

“ Betty, I^m going to drive into Coventry 
to do some shopping, and Miss Worthington 
says you are to drive alongside on your horse, 
if you like, so go and put your habit on at 
once, and don’t keep me waiting,” said Miss 
Brown impatiently, as they came up the hill 
from the station. 

Miss Brown drove a fat, slow, white pony to 
a small phaeton, and as she stepped in, fol- 
lowed by Helen, and adjusted her big round 
goggles and gave a final pat to her curls, Betty 
skipped lightly downstairs in her new habit 
and was quickly mounted by old Jonas. 

‘‘ My ! how very nice you look,” exclaimed 
Anita admiringly. 

“ Any commissions? ” 

Well, I did want some shoe polish and a 
box of those delicious cocoanut creams from 
Bead’s, but you seem to have such a long list 
there, I shan’t trouble you to add to it. 

It’s not a list, you say? What is it, then? 
Now, Betty, I know you are up to some of 
your tricks, aren’t you?” as Betty hastily 
stuffed the paper into the belt of her Norfolk 
jacket and grinned saucily at her. 


108 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


“ You’d better look out for the ^ Watch 
Dog ’ ! She’s got her biggest goggles on, and 
they tell me she can see the grass growing 
through them.” 

So can Helen with hers,” laughed Betty as 
she trotted off after the phaeton, “ but they 
haven’t any eyes in the backs of their heads 
fortunately.” 

Miss Brown adored Gig-lamps,” as the 
girls had nicknamed Helen. 

She was so polite and quiet, and gave the 
“ Watch Dog ” so little trouble that she was 
often rewarded by a drive behind the slowly 
ambling Mr. Pestus.” 

It was a delicious afternoon, a little frosty, 
but brilliant with sunshine. 

The trees and hedges looked like flaming 
torches of red and yellow, for the leaves had 
not yet begun to fall. 

Betty broke off a crimson spray from a 
sugar maple and stuck it into her belt, as she 
wished for the hundredth time that grand- 
mama could see how beautiful the country 
looked here in autumn. 

Merrylegs seemed to appreciate it too, for he 
turned his head knowingly from side to side 
as if in admiration of his new home. 


A DAY OP SURPRISES 


109 


He cantered along contentedly by the side 
of the phaeton till now and then when Betty’s 
spirits overcame her and she urged him ahead 
in a brisk gallop, much to the disgust of his 
fat friend, Mr. Festus,” to whom dignity of 
gait was a necessity. 

These spurts made Miss Brown “ highly 
nervous,” as she confided to Helen, and so 
w^hen the first straggling houses of Coventry 
came into sight, she bade Betty rather 
sharply ride behind ” till they reached the 
shops. 

It was just as if she had said ‘ Get thee 
behind me, Satan,’ ” Betty afterwards ex- 
plained in an aggrieved tone to Anita. 

Nevertheless she turned Merrylegs obe- 
diently, and fell in behind the slowly moving 
phaeton with its goggled and gig-lamped ” 
freight. 

Now they crossed the covered bridge, and 
the houses grew closer and closer together un- 
til finally the wheels of the phaeton rolled over 
the cobblestones, and they were in Coventry. 

Betty had stopped on the bridge and tugged 
at something in her belt. 

Perhaps it was only the bunch of crimson 
leaves, for she leaned over and decorated 


110 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Merrylegs’ head-piece to her satisfaction, and 
then tucked something behind her own ears. 

Whatever it was every one who passed them 
looked first at the phaeton and then stared at 
the outrider and her horse, and broke into 
peals of laughter. 

But Miss Brown and Helen, intent on guid- 
ing the amiable Mr. Festus ’’ between mar- 
ket carts and country wagons, and not having, 
as Betty said, eyes in the back of their heads, 
paid little attention to the passers-by. 

Through the town they rode in procession, 
Betty evidently enjoying every moment, and 
evidently meeting many acquaintances, for 
every few yards she would bow to her horse’s 
neck on either side, just as she had seen the 
clowns do in the circus parade, and each bow 
was greeted with screams of laughter from the 
sidewalk. 

How good-natured the people appear to- 
day,” said Miss Brown to Helen. This 
glorious weather is infectious, and puts every 
one in a good humor. 

“ I do not know when I have heard so many 
hearty laughs, have you noticed them?” 

“ Yes, Miss Brown,” said Helen meekly, for 
she was beginning to suspect there was only 


A DAY OF SURPRISES 


111 


one cause for so much merriment, and dared 
not look at Betty for fear of discovering it. 

One man in front of the confectioner's shop 
bent double as they drove up, and gasped be- 
tween bursts of laughter : Four uv ’em, and 
all goggles. Jes’ look at ’em, will ye? ” 

And Miss Brown, suspicious at last, turned 
her big spectacles on Betty, who was Just lift- 
ing her head from her lowest bow. 

On her nose was a gigantic pair of round 
goggles, heavily made of wire, while floating 
down from her cap over each ear was a long 
paper curl in excellent imitation of Miss 
Brown’s ringlets. 

Infuriated — speechless with rage, his mis- 
tress pulled Mr. Festus ” up abruptly, and 
then her angry eyes fell on Merrylegs, who pre- 
sented an equally comical appearance ; for his 
even more gigantic goggles were made of white 
paper, and were glaringly apparent to the 
naked eye. 

The tableau was appreciated to the utmost 
by its street audience, for Miss Brown was far 
too choked with emotion to speak, and Betty 
and Merrylegs stood like statues of imper- 
turbed innocence, the four pairs of goggles 
gazing into each other’s eyes for a long minute. 


112 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Then Miss Brown beckoned Betty closer, 
with a trembling forefinger, and said in a 
hoarse whisper, You have disgraced your 
school, and you have disgraced me. 

“ Take those things off instantly, and do 
not move from my sight until we reach Kut- 
ledge. You shall be properly rewarded for 
this, I assure you.’’ 

But all the way home Merrylegs’ hoofs beat 
a joyful tattoo to the words Betty whispered 
to herself in a sort of ecstasy: 

« I^m going to be expelled at last ! Oh ! 
I’m going to be expelled at last ! ” 


CHAPTER IX 


SCRAPES 

An anxious group sat in the hallway out- 
side of Miss AVorthington^s study door. 

She^s been in there fully half an hour/^ 
whispered Anita to her chum Mary Mason. 

No, only nineteen minutes,’^ said Helen 
the exact, with an eye on the grandfather’s 
clock that stood on the stair landing. 

“Will she be exthpelled, do you think?” 
lisped Mary Mason anxiously. For Betty, 
whether because of her generous heart or her 
high spirits or her fearlessness of everything 
and everybody, had won more than one friend 
for herself among her schoolmates. 

Then the door swung open, and Miss Worth- 
ington’s last injunction, “ Now remember what 
I have said to you, my child,” in a kind but 
firm voice, followed Betty into the hall. 

“ What did she say to you, Betty? ” 

“ Is she going to exthpel you? ” 

Oh, Betty ! It must be something awful,” 
113 


114 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


cried the three voices at once, for Betty’s 
downcast eyes and mournful expression be- 
spoke sympathy. 

No, I’m not to be expelled,” she said dis- 
consolately. 

“ That’s good ! ” exclaimed Anita with 
fervor. 

Betty looked at her without replying. 

They would not understand if she told them 
how she had prayed that that might be her 
punishment. 

They did not know what it meant to sob 
yourself to sleep at night with longing for a 
grandmama from whom you had never been 
separated, and whom you loved and who loved 
you better than all the world besides. 

To have your heart ache — ache all the time 
for home, just home. 

True she had run away from it once of her 
own accord, but it was not very far away and 
she had only intended to stay till she brought 
her father to terms. 

And he — but the girls were clamoring for 
news from the study, which her silence made 
even more important. 

So she pulled herself together and went on, 
I’m not to be expelled,” she said again, but 


SCRAPES 115 

I^m to be everything else, except ^ Queen of 
the May, mother.’ 

The ‘ Watch Dog ’ must have made a fine 
story of it, for Miss Worthington was as mad 
as a March hare when I went in, and read me 
a long lecture before I. could even open my 
lips to explain. 

Then I told her my side of it, and when I 
saw one corner of her mouth go up, the way it 
does, you know, when she is trying not to be 
amused, I pulled out the old goggles and put 
them on and bowed just the way I did in Cov- 
entry, and she turned her back for a moment, 
and I saw her shoulders shake. 

“ I knew I was safe after that, and she was 
kind to me, but — I am to spend the Sabbath 
day in my room all alone, I’m not to ride my 
precious Merrylegs for three days, I’m not to 
go to Coventry again till after Christmas, 
and I’m on my way now to apologize to the 
^ Watch Dog.’ ” 

How perfectly horrid,” said Anita sympa- 
thetically. 

I don’t think you deserve half of those 
punishments, Betty, and the hardest of all to 
me would be to apologize to Miss Brown. 
What will you say to her? ” 


116 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Oh, I shall just say — ‘ I apologize for my 
rudeness this afternoon, and it shall not 
occur again,’ ” said Betty lightly. That’s 
easy you know, because it’s really no fun to 
play the same joke twice. 

Anita, you must ride Merrylegs to- 
morrow, and Helen and Mary Mason must 
take him the other two days. There’s no use 
to keep him in because I’m kept in,” and with- 
out waiting for thanks she turned on her heel 
and marched off to find Miss Brown. 

When the dressing gong sounded next 
morning, and the good Helen jumped up and 
began to array herself in her Sunday best, 
Betty opened one eye lazily and looked at her, 
and turned over for another nap. 

Betty, you will be late for breakfast,” said 
Helen. 

She had made the same rdmark every morn- 
ing since Betty arrived, and Bett^^ always 
made the same reply, I don’t care if I am.” 

But this morning there was no response at 
all, for Betty had returned to dreamland again 
and breakfast and Helen were both forgotten. 

Helen stood for a moment at the foot of the 
bed, looking down at her roommate. Her 
brown curls were tossed over the pillow, the 


SCRAPES 


117 


long lashes lay quietly on her cheeks, and one 
hand tucked comfortably under her chin. 

She looks so good when she’s asleep,” said 
Helen to herself. And yet she is really so 
naughty. 

I can’t see how she even thinks of the 
things she is always doing and getting pun- 
ished for,” and Helen’s righteous little soul 
shivered at the thought. 

“ What is it? ” asked Betty sleepily in reply 
to her anxious call. 

“ I’m not going to get up I tell you, Helen. 
Please leave me alone. I have to stay in my 
room all day, and I’m going to sleep through 
as much of it as possible,” and she gave a 
little yawn and shut her eyes resolutely. 

But in spite of her determination the day 
dragged interminably to Betty. 

When she had finished a long, ecstatic letter 
to grandmama, in which Merrylegs’ name ap- 
peared in every other line, and composed a 
short, dutiful note to her mother, there seemed 
to be nothing else to do, and Helen’s return 
from the chapel service was a welcome break 
in her monotony. 

But Helen had orders from Miss Brown to 
leave her roommate to the full punishment of 


118 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


solitary confinement, and dared not disobey, 
and in despair Betty at last begun to unpack 
the small trunk which mammy had brought 
filled with her winter garments. 

In a corner, tucked well out of sight, and 
evidently put in by stealth, she found a bag of 
sticky caramels with From Julianna ’’ writ- 
ten on the end; and as she took out the pretty 
blue sailor suit Aunt Berta had selected for 
her, a package of pop-crackers and a small 
box of red fire tumbled out on which was 
scribbled in Joyce^s cramped handwriting — 

Thought you might need them.” 

Betty’s mind worked quickly. “ I’ve had 
punishment enough for one day,” she said to 
herself, and there are two more days of it 
to look forward to, so now I’m going to have 
a lark.” 

She hid the box of red fire and then pro- 
ceeded to untangle the fuses to the pop- 
crackers with fingers that trembled with 
eagerness. 

The house was as quiet as The Enchanted 
Gardens. 

The girls were either walking or in their 
rooms writing home letters, or snatching forty 
winks. 


SCRAPES 119 

Betty seemed to be the only person awake 
and — wicked. 

Stuffing the pop-crackers and the box of 
matches into her blouse, she crawled through 
the window, and stood on the narrow ledge of 
granite which seemed to draw a dividing line 
between the first and second stories of the 
house. 

It was very narrow indeed, but Betty^s feet 
were small and agile, and by clinging to the 
window ledges and the big Virginia creeper 
which clambered up to the very roof, she 
made her way slowly and cautiously to the end 
of the wing. 

As good luck would have it, Mary Mason’s 
room was quite empty. Helen and Anita were 
fast asleep in Anita’s room, while Delia Rob- 
inson, who had the corner room, was far too 
busy with her hand mirror to pay attention to 
anything going on outside her window. 

Betty drew out her pop-crackers. She had 
plaited them together m bunches of five, as 
Samson tied the tails of the foxes; and had 
put a good long fuse at the end of each bunch, 
so it was but the work of a moment to touch it 
off and drop the bunch inside the window. 

Then she crept back to Anita’s room, which 


120 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


she honored with quite a large supply, as its 
occupants were fast asleep and might be diffi- 
cult to awaken. 

Mary Mason opened her door, just as, with 
the agility of a kitten, Betty climbed into her 
own room again, and tumbling on the bed, pre- 
pared herself to fall into a profound slumber 
at a moment’s notice. 

A breath later, and the firing began all 
along the line. 

The faint shriek which came from Delia’s 
corner of the corridor was completely lost in 
the fusillade from Anita’s room, and Mary Ma- 
son’s celebration loudly echoed the others. 

Betty lay shaking with laughter at the 
thought of the excitement and consternation 
taking place in the different rooms, when, 
without waiting for an answer to her hurried 
knock. Miss Brown sprang in at the door. 

Betty sat up rubbing her eyes, seemingly 
much embarrassed at being caught asleep. 

It seems to me I heard a queer noise. Miss 
Brown,” she said, politely smothering a yawn. 

Could any one have fallen downstairs, do 
you think? ” 

Miss Brown’s severe coimtenance relaxed 
slightly. 


SCRAPES 


12j 


I came to you to find out what was going 
on, as you are generally in it,” she said grimly. 
“ The noise was in this corridor.” 

“ Shall I go and find out what it was? ” 
asked Betty eagerly, jumping to her feet. 

Have you permission to leave your room? ” 

No,” faltered Betty with a crestfallen 
look. 

You know the rules as well as I do,” said 
Miss Brown, as she shut the door and stamped 
down the corridor. 

Betty listened anxiously to the voices of the 
girls as each door opened in turn, while Miss 
Brown questioned and scolded. But she could 
only catch a word here and there, and she 
made up her mind when the Watch Dog ” 
was safely kenneled again, to step out and ask 
Anita a few pointed questions. 

Just as she reached the door a little rus- 
tling sound caught her ears, and she looked 
down to see a small note slipped over the 
threshold. 

Did you do it, you rascal? We thought 
you did, but we invented a beautiful tale, and 
didn’t give you away. Answer. Anita,” it 
read. And Betty wrote back : “ Yes, I did. 
For goodness’ sake come in here; I’m lonely 


122 THE TAMING OF BETTY 

enough to die. Betty. P. S. I’ve got some- 
thing to show you.” 

Anita soon crept in in all the glory of a new 
red w^rapper, and the two sat on Betty’s bed 
and talked in whispers too low for even the 
“ Watch Dog’s ” ears. 

“ ‘ Gig-lamps ’ is still rubbing her bruises,” 
laughed Anita. “ When those villainous 
things exploded she dreamed it was the last 
call for breakfast, so she wheeled over and 
tumbled out of bed. 

My ! how I laughed at her surprised look 
when she pulled herself up and called to me 
that I’d be too late for breakfast. 

“ Delia Eobinson broke her hand mirror to 
smithereens. I was glad of it. She gave the 
poor thing no rest day or night.” 

Then Betty brought out the box of red fire 
and the two put their heads together like twin 
Guy Fawkeses, and whispered over it eagerly, 
and Betty said, as Anita tripped out to dress 
for supper : Don’t forget to bring both of 
those red paper caps, whatever you do.” 

For years it had been the custom at Rut- 
ledge for the girls to gather around the piano 
in the big hall and sing hymns after supper on 
Sunday. 


SCRAPES 


123 


Anita and Betty were usually the two near- 
est the piano, for both loved music, and Betty 
had a voice as clear and sweet as that of a 
little bird, while Anita’s alto, like Abou Ben 
Adhem’s name, “ led all the rest.” 

To-night they were conspicuous for their 
absence. 

Anita had slipped away at the first note, and 
in her room above was busily getting together 
a rare collection of articles, which she put into 
a bundle and hid under her arm as she sped 
lightly down the corridor, whisked around the 
corner, and disappeared through the Infirmary 
door. 

Fortunately not one of the girls was sick, so 
the room was quite dark, and Betty’s voice 
from the west window startled her. 

Did you bring them? ” she asked. 

Yes,” whispered Anita. I have every- 
thing. Do you think we can climb out on the 
porch roof without falling? ” 

Easily. I’ve let a chair down already. It 
isn’t far. I’ll go first myself and show you,” 
said Betty. 

She got over the sill and dropped with a 
“ dull thud ” to the roof below. 

Missed the chair,” she called up in a low 


124 


THE TAMING OP BETTY 


voice to Anita. No, I’m not hurt. Come on, 
I’ll show you where to put your foot.” 

Once on the roof Anita opened her bundle 
and they began forthwith to array themselves 
in its contents. A pair of red bloomers apiece, 
in which they were wont to disport themselves 
in the gymnasium, red blouses, and red paper 
caps, under w^hich they tucked up their curls 
and plaits. 

Then they moistened the ends of some 
matches, and each rubbed the phosphorus on 
in circles around the eyes, nose, and mouth of 
the other till they shone hideously in the 
blackness. 

The night is so dark it feels like black 
velvet,” whispered Betty, sprinkling a circle 
of red fire around them. 

In a few minutes they heard Jonas whist- 
ling on his way from the stables to the kitchen, 
stop short and utter a terrified grunt at the 
hideous apparitions that glared at him from 
the side of the great house.” 

Is I dreamin’ or is I drunk? ” he muttered, 
as he dropped the bucket he w^as carrying, and 
made a bee-line for the kitchen. 

Shall I light up now? ” whispered Anita, 
rocking with laughter. 




SCRAPES 


125 


“ No ; wait till they all come out,” said Betty, 
giggling nervously. Sh-h ! here they come ! ” 

There they came, indeed. Old Aunt Car’line, 
the cook, vowing at each step that she wanT 
gwine on no sich fooFs arrand fer Jonas, nor 
nobody else.” 

And Sally and Camilla, two of the maids, 
and Joe, the butler, and little black George, 
his assistant, and half a dozen others, brought 
out by the wild story Brer Jonas ” had blub- 
bered out, ob two debbles, bangin’ up ’ginst 
the side ob de house.” 

“ Dance ! ” whispered Anita, and she and 
Betty bobbed noiselessly about. 

Oh, Lawd, sabe my wicked soul, for dem 
sperrits is sho’ done come fer it,” cried Aunt 
Car’line, sinking heavily to her knees. 

The others knelt beside her and began groan- 
ing and praying aloud, while they swayed from 
side to side. 

’Tain’t nuthin’ but de pranks of some of 
dem chillun,” said Joe skeptically, but when 
the two debbles ” touched a match to the 
powder and seemed to rise like great red de- 
mons from the smoke of eternal fires, even Joe 
wavered and fied, while the other servants, 
having lived all their lives in the country, and 


126 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


never having been acquainted with the dia- 
bolical invention of red fire/’ began to sing 
and pray strenuously with terrified voices. 

<< I g-gwine f-for Miss W-Worthin’t’n,” cried 
little black George, with chattering teeth. 

“My stars! Betty, did you hear that?” 
whispered Anita. 

“ Yes, I did, and I think we had better be 
skipping,” said Betty, mounting the chair and 
making a precipitate exit through the win- 
dow. 

“ Hurry, Anita ! The singing has stopped, 
and I know they will catch us before we get to 
our rooms.” 

And she was right, for the “ Watch Dog,” 
with her fiercest looking goggles astride her 
nose, stood in the middle of the corridor as 
they sped breathlessly back, and met them 
with folded arms and set teeth. 




CHAPTER X 


THE FANCY BALL 

Crowning a wooded hill on the road be- 
tween Rutledge and Coventry, stood St. 
Julianas Academy, a school for boys and 
youths preparatory to entering the Univer- 
sity.” 

A legend told that in the old days a friendli- 
ness had existed between the two schools, and 
the lads of St. Julian’s were always bidden to 
the fudge ” parties, and fancy balls at Rut- 
ledge, while Miss Worthington’s girls graced 
the commencement exercises at the Academy. 

But some imprudent girl — ^years ago — had 
taken advantage of this liberty to go on long 
strolls with some of the boys, and, when one 
day Miss Worthington met her swinging along 
the road with one lad carrying her parasol and 
another her hat, she promptly sent her home to 
her mother, and put an end to all communica- 
tion between the two schools. 

Since that time no Rutledge girl had ever 
127 


128 


THE TAMING OP BETTY 


dared speak to a St. Julian boy — unless the 
eyes of her chaperon were turned in another 
direction, and the little chapel was the only 
common ground on which they ever met; 
though even there the boys were carefully 
marshaled on the left, while the girls occupied 
the right-hand pews. 

Even the watchful, begoggled eyes of Miss 
Brown could not spy on each of the girls all 
the time, and though when services were over 
the lads were kept politely standing in their 
places till the girls passed out, who could 
blame them for letting fall a whispered com- 
pliment now and then for the benefit of the 
pretty procession filing before them? 

Betty gazed at the St. Julianites with un- 
feigned admiration each Sunday ; for here and 
there, in the shape of a head or the color of the 
eyes, she saw a fancied resemblance to her be- 
loved and much-missed J ack, and she longed to 
talk teethe lad who bore it. 

Miss Brown had cautioned her more than 
once to keep her eyes from wandering over the 
forbidden ground, but Betty — always in a 
dream of home and of the loved ones there — 
forgot the caution as soon as it was uttered, 
and let her gaze rest affectionately and inno- 


THE FANCY BALL 


129 


cently during the sermon on the lad whose 
blond head looked so much like Jack’s, that 
she liked to imagine he would greet her wdth a 
cheerful '' Hello, Betty,” as they turned to go 
out. 

Miss Brown’s suspicions were easy to 
arouse, and when one Sunday morning she 
fancied that she saw Betty hang back and one 
of the boys lean a little from his pew as she 
passed, her goggles almost flew off with nerv- 
ous excitement, for she was sure he had thrust 
a tiny note into her hand. 

But Betty walked back to school very 
sedately between Mary Mason and Dora, her 
big sister, and when Miss Brown asked sar- 
castically to see the note, she looked straight 
into her eyes and said, I have no note. Miss 
Brown,” in such an innocent tone that the 

Watch Dog ” dared not put ideas in her 
head,” as she said afterwards, by accusing her 
further, but resolved to keep close to her side 
in each future observance of the Sabbath. 

Betty was perfectly truthful, for the note 
lay in Dora Mason’s pocket two minutes after 
it was slipped into Betty’s hand. It was, 
moreover, a very innocent announcement from 
the boy with Jack’s head — who was Dora’s 


130 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


cousin — to the effect that he was going home 
for the holidays on the 23d, and hoped Dora 
and May would go at the same time; and 
begged that an answer should be put in the 
maple tree at the end of the Kutledge lawn on 
Friday. 

As Dora was one of the first to leave the 
chapel and Betty was the last and easiest to 
reach, he simply gave it to her without think- 
ing, as she passed him, and whispered, For 
Dora Mason, please.’’ 

On Friday evening the annual Fancy Ball 
was to be ghen by the Eutledge girls, and 
Helen and Betty were on the very tiptoe of 
excitement and expectation, for they had never 
seen a fancy ball before, and Miss Worthing- 
ton had given them permission to sit up to the 
very end. 

The girls were busy with their costumes, 
and from almost every doorknob hung a 

pozzy ” — which was a whiskbroom or a shoe- 
horn, or any other kind of toilet article, and 
which meant, ‘‘ Positively no admittance, as 
we are busily engaged.” 

Anita and Mary Mason very kindly offered 
to help the two smaller girls with their cos- 
tumes, and made many suggestions for Bo- 


THE FANCY BALL 


131 


peeps, flower girls, etc., all of which were 
received and rejected with equal politeness, 
for Helen fondly imagined she had a Grecian 
profile, and was studying old prints for the 
purpose of arraying herself in appropriate 
draperies, and Betty had an idea of her own, 
which she fancied would create quite a sensa- 
tion, though her roommate refused to be im- 
pressed by it. 

Betty’s heart had been fairly singing with 
happiness all day. 

Each morning she struck a yesterday from 
her calendar with a pencil mark, and to-day, 
when she crossed out the 17th of December, 
and realized that in just five more days she 
would go home — home to grandmama — home 
to Jack — home to Joyce and Julianna, and the 
dear old garden, her spirits rose till they 
bubbled over, and Miss Brown’s patience was 
worn threadbare with her wild gayety. 

As she went singing down the corridor on a 
mysterious errand of her own, Dora Mason 
called to her, Where are you going, Betty? ” 

‘ I’m going to the barnyard, miss, she 
said,’ ” sang Betty. 

Are you really going to the barn? ” 

“ Yes.” 


132 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Then do me a favor, won^t you? ’’ begged 
Dora, lowering her voice to a whisper; and 
Betty presently trotted off again with the 
little white note to the boy who looked like 
Jack, tucked in her pocket. 

Out of doors her song changed to a shrill 
whistle, and Miss Brown, recognizing the of- 
fender, and always irritable and fault-finding 
where Betty was concerned, darted to the win- 
dow to reprimand her. 

But Betty was already flying across the big 
circle, her curls standing straight out behind 
her, and her feet fairly twinkling over the 
ground. 

At the corner of the fence she stopped ab- 
ruptly, and Miss Brown, feeling that this was 
no time to trust her poor eyesight, or even 
her revered goggles, hastily dragged from 
their case a pair of dingy opera glasses, and 
focused them just in time to see a white 
envelope slipped into the hollow of the old 
sugar maple. 

It was a moment of great triumph to the 
Watch Dog,” who had never recovered from 
the slight to her dignity in the streets of 
Coventry, and longed to convict Betty of some 
misdeed which would bring Miss Worthing- 


THE FANCY BALL 13b 

ton's wrath upon her head. So, quickly 
snatching up a scarf, she threw it over her 
shoulders and rushed impetuously out of 
doors, regardless of rheumatic twinges. 

The unconscious Betty Avas by this time at 
the barn, wheedling an armful of corn-shucks 
from old Jonas, and so she missed the trium- 
phant look with which Miss Brown, with trem- 
bling fingers, drew out of the tree trunk the 
tiny note which she had so carefully hidden 
there. 

It was addressed to Mr. Thomas Vivian, 
St. Julian's Academy," and Miss Brown 
clutched it tightly as she made her way back 
to the house to give it into Miss Worthington's 
own hands. 

She can find no excuse for that imperti- 
nent child after this," she said half aloud, 
while a malicious smile lit up her face, for she 
knew that the old trouble with St. Julian's 
had never ceased to rankle in Miss Worthing- 
ton's breast, and that she would not spare the 
girl who was guilty of any such offense the 
second time. 

She hardly waited for permission to enter 
the study before she thrust the note into Miss 
Worthington's hands, and rattled off the 


134 THE TAMING OF BETTY 

whole story, beginning with the affair in 
church, and winding up with a bitter : I hope 
you may punish her severely. Miss Worthing- 
ton. To my mind she is worthy of expulsion, 
but I cannot expect you to see anything that 
concerns Betty in the same light that I do.’’ 

“ Probably not,” said Miss Worthington 
very gravely, because I think you are preju- 
diced against the child. Miss Brown. She is 
high-spirited and full of mischief, but I cannot 
think there is any harm in her. 

However, this is a most serious matter, 
and if I find her guilty I will surely punish 
her as she deserves. 

“ There is no name signed to this note, and 
it looks much more like the writing of one of 
the older girls than Betty’s. You see I have 
her last composition here on my desk, and a 
most comical little production it is, by the 
way,” and, to Miss Brown’s infinite disgust, 
Miss Worthington picked it up and read 
aloud : 

** AN ODE TO A SPITTOON. 

“ There is a church across the way, 

Where all good people come to pray, 
Admittance free to every man, 

For ’tis the German Lutheran. 


THE FANCY BALL 


135 


“ Upon the window sill there sits 
A spittoon dark and gray, 

Over its sides the sunbeam flits 
On a pleasant summer’s day. 

“ Oh, spittoon, spittoon, dark and gray I 
You’ve had your day, I ween, 

For once within the church aisle gay 
You oftenest were seen. 

** But now upon a window sill 
You’re left alone to die — 

Another — though against your will, 

Within the aisle doth lie ! ” 

“Very realistic, isn’t it?” she said, laugh- 
ing — but a glance at her head teacher’s face 
showed her that the laughter was most ill- 
timed, and she added quickly, “ I am very 
grateful to you. Miss Brown, for bringing this 
matter to my notice. 

“ I shall say nothing about it to-night, but 
to-morrow morning, after study hour, you will 
please send Betty to me, and I assure you I 
shall not rest till I have gotten to the bottom 
of the matter.” And with that Miss Brown 
had to be content. 

The girls had festooned the big schoolroom 
with running cedar and holly, and swung 
from the chandeliers hung bunches of mistle- 
toe tied with red ribbons. 


136 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


The desks were moved out or pushed close 
against the walls, and little black George had 
spent the entire afternoon waxing and rubbing 
the floor to a surprising degree of slipperi- 
ness. 

The three negro musicians who always fur- 
nished the music on such occasions had 
already arrived from Coventry, and each girl 
gave a hasty touch to her toilette and a back- 
ward glance at her mirror when the scraping 
of the fiddles was heard below in the thrilling 
movement of “ tuning up.’’ 

Miss Worthington always invited her neigh- 
bors to witness the annual Fancy Ball at Kut- 
ledge, and as the first notes of the grand march 
resounded through the house, they came into 
the improvised ballroom, followed by the vari- 
ous teachers, and took their seats on the little 
platform at the end. 

Before they w^ere well settled in their places, 
or had had time to take in the effect of the 
pretty decorations with their delicious scent 
of cedar and pine, the eager tramp of feet was 
heard outside, the fiddles sang out joyously, 
and, headed by Dora Mason and Delia Bob- 
inson, the charming column of gayly attired 
girls swung into the room. They marched and 


THE FANCY BALL 


137 


counter-marched, advanced in couples, in 
fours, in eights, in sixteens, and then falling 
into single file each girl saluted the grand- 
stand,” as they called the crowded platform, in 
the style which best became her costume. 

Who is this charming cowboy?” whis- 
pered one of the guests, as Anita, in the clev- 
erly imitated costume of a Texas ranchman, 
waved her sombrero in response to the ap- 
plause. 

And what fascinating faces these two 
have,” said another, as Dora Mason and Delia, 
representing Robin Hood and Maid Marian, 
performed their salutations. 

Regardez done la petite Helene,” cried 
Ma’amselle, smothering a smile in her hand- 
kerchief. Is it not that she is a com-i-cale 
sight? ” 

And indeed she was, for, in spite of their 
combined efforts, Betty had been unable to 
reconcile the fair Helenas spectacles and Greek 
draperies, and the effect was rather startling. 

As to Betty herself, she quite brought down 
the house, for, as the little page announced, 
she represented Husking Time,” and the idea 
was entirely original with her. 

She had pinned and sewed the pretty yellow 


138 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


corn-shucks over her white dress till it was 
completely hidden, and even her stockings and 
shoes were encased in them. 

In one hand she held a slender corn-stalk, 
while on her head she wore a big, fluffy 
shuck,” beneath which her curls bobbed 
gayly, and the merry brown eyes flashed with 
such a happy enjoyment of the whole scene 
that Miss Worthington’s heart warmed with 
sympathy as she thought of to-morrow’s 
ordeal. 

It was a beautiful ball, even if there were 
no St. Julian’s lads present to participate 
in it. 

Some of the costumes were clever enough 
for a society function ; for here a pirate danced 
with a magnificent court lady, radiant with 
patches and powder; and there the King of 
Hearts devoted himself to a wonderfully well 
illustrated Alice in Wonderland, while flower 
girls and milkmaids, Indians and emperors 
mixed and mingled democratically. 

Mary Mason, who declared that all the char- 
acters known to history and fiction had been 
appropriated before she had time to choose 
her costume, wore a simple white frock and a 
long-eared bonnet of lavender muslin, and said 


THE FANCY BALL 


139 


she represented a modern novel. But when 
several of the girls cried jeeringly, That^s 
really too easy, Mary ; you’re the ^ Lilac 
Sunbonnet,’ of course,” she lisped sweetly. 

Not at all, you geeth, I am ^ Mithunder- 
thtood.’ ” 

All the Rutledge girls danced, and some of 
them danced extremely well, and the unctuous 
tones of old Hezekiah, the fiddler, as he called 
out above the twang of the violins, “ Swing 
your butterfly ! ” Cage your bird ! ” in the 
mazes of the quadrille, were enough to start 
the heaviest foot a-patting. 

Betty and Anita executed a cakewalk that 
brought forth tumultuous encores, while Mary 
Mason, who was as graceful as a little fawn, 
swayed charmingly through the mazes of a 
fancy dance to the wonder and delight of Heze- 
kiah, who almost forgot to play for watching 
de little Missy shake her foot.” 

Then, at a signal from Joe, he struck strenu- 
ously into the strains of the Supper March, 
and forty pairs of dancing feet carried their 
chattering owners gayly into the dining 
room, where the most delicious supper was 
served. 

Toasts were drunk in lemonade to Miss 


140 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Worthington,” who responded with a pretty 
little speech ; to Rutledge,” to w^hich all the 
girls responded by singing : Kerens to dear 
old Rutledge, drink her down,” and, finally, 
to Home and the Christmas Holidays,” to 
which Betty responded with such a gulp of 
happiness that Helen thought she wms choking 
and offered her a glass of water. 

After supper there was more dancing. 

In fact, the girls could have kept it up all 
night if Miss Worthington had not' held up 
a warning hand to the musicians and said. 

Twelve o’clock,” and even then Home, 
Sweet Home” was encored so often that the 
patience of the sleepy Watch Dog ” was 
almost exhausted. 

The girls forgot discipline and gathered in 
each other’s rooms to talk it all over. 

In Anita’s room were Dora and Delia, Helen 
and Betty, and, of course, Mary Mason, w^ho 
shared the room with Anita. 

^‘Wasn’t it just splendid?” said Betty, 
looking as bright-eyed and as wide-awake as if 
the ball had just begun. 

Oh, how I w ish Jack could have been here ! 
He dances so w^ell. And, Dora, he looks so 
much like your cousin, Tom Vivian. 


THE FANCY BALL 


141 


I’ll get his picture, and you can see 
for yourself,” and she ran off to her own 
room. 

When, after a rummage in the dark, she 
finally found it and turned to go back, she 
almost dropped to the fioor with fright, for 
there, in the doorway, stood a great shaggy 
black animal, looking straight at her and wag- 
ging his tail violently. 

After a terrified moment, she remembered 
that the And er sons, who were their nearest 
country neighbors, had brought their big New- 
foundland dog with them, and she realized in- 
stantly that he must have been shut up in the 
house when they drove off. 

So, putting the picture carefully down, she 
said kindly, Come on, poor old fellow, and 
I’ll let you out myself. I know' you are long- 
ing to go home to your people”; and the big 
dog turned and followed her obediently dowm 
the corridor. 

A minute later Miss Browm bolted out of her 
room and rapped on Betty’s door, and finding 
no one there, w^ent on to Anita’s room. 

I cannot have this noise any longer, girls,” 
she said. “ Go to your rooms at once. Where 
is Betty Randolph? ” 


142 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


“ She went to her room a moment ago, Miss 
Brown,’’ said Helen. 

She is not there now. I have just come 
from there, but I shall search until I find her, 
if it takes me all night. I know she is plan- 
ning some mischief,” and off she went at a 
furious pace round the corridor, for she had 
an idea that Betty was making a secret raid 
on the pantry. 

Just as she reached the stairs that led into 
the lower hall, where a faint light was kept 
burning all night, she heard the bolt of the 
big door shoot back and Betty’s voice say, Go 
home now as fast as you can run, old fellow, 
and good-night to you.” 

In an instant she sprang down the steps and 
clutched the astonished Betty by the arm. 

So I have caught you at last, have I? ” she 
said angrily. 

Not content with exchanging notes under 
the very shadow of the Sanctuary and slipping 
them into tree hollows, making appointments 
to go home in the company of a St. Julian’s 
boy, you actually have the audacity to meet 
him at the very door of Miss Worthington’s 
school, to make further plans for your holiday 
home-going. 


THE FANCY BALL 


143 


I heard you, and I saw him, so you cannot 
deny it, as you usually do, you deceitful 
child!” 

Betty turned and looked her squarely in the 
face. “ I don’t understand what you mean. 
Miss Brown,” she said quietly, though her eyes 
were blazing with anger. 

“ I came downstairs to put the Andersons’ 
Newfoundland dog out. 

“ As to the St. Julian’s boys, I don’t know 
one of them, even to speak to him.” 

“ A likely story ! ” sneered Miss Brown, bolt- 
ing the door and turning the key savagely in 
the lock. 

“ A very likely story, indeed, but one which 
you will have some difficulty in making Miss 
Worthington believe when I tell her that I saw 
the boy’s coat sleeve and heard you speak to 
him. You need not add a falsehood to your 
deceit.” 

“ I have never told a falsehood in my life, 
Miss Brown,” retorted Betty angrily. 

And neither you nor any one else 
shall say I have told one to-night. And 
I shall go straight to Miss Worthington 
now and explain to her exactly what has 
happened.” 


144 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


“ You will do no such thing/’ screamed Miss 
Brown, now beside herself with rage. 

I forbid you to speak to Miss Worthington 
on this subject until I myself have told her 
everything.” 

And blind with anger Betty stumbled up 
the steps and shut herself into her room. 


CHAPTER XI 


THE SPIDER AND THE FLY 

Breakfast was an unusually quiet meal 
next morning, for though Joe had pounded his 
rising-gong a good half-hour later than usual, 
some of the girls were still sleepy, and none 
of them seemed inclined to conversation. 

Dora Mason had a headache, and did not 
appear until the meal was half over, and even 
Betty looked so solemn that Anita had to re- 
mind her twice of how very close at hand were 
the holidays before she could draw from her 
a ghost of a smile. 

As to Miss Brown, that irascible lady ap- 
peared to be on the verge of lunacy or 
apoplexy, for, whenever she looked in Betty’s 
direction her face became scarlet, and she was 
so nervous her hand shook and spilled her 
coffee as she lifted the cup to her lips. 

« The ^ Watch Dog’s ’ wig is all awry,” chant- 
ed Anita in an undertone. Methinks a dispu- 
tatious wind may lift it from her brow anon.” 

145 


146 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Betty glanced up, but Miss Brown’s scowl 
was not a pleasant appetizer, though the wig 
in question was decidedly awry, and gave its 
owner a particularly rakish appearance. 

It held Betty’s attention for fully half a 
minute, during which time the Imp of Mischief 
tempted, and she fell. 

The study hour on Saturday was always a 
nuisance. 

This morning it was unbearable. 

The little taste of liberty last night, the 
thought of holidays so soon to come, had a 
most unsettling effect on the girls’ minds, and 
study was simply out of the question. 

Betty had been sent for by Ma’amselle, who 
was not satisfied with her translation, and 
wished her to copy it after study hour was 
over, and during her absence Helen, who 
shared her desk, rested her elbow comfortably 
on the empty chair and forgot for once to be 
studious. 

Even Miss Brown showed the after-effects of 
some excitement, for she settled herself easily 
behind her desk on the platform and relaxed — 
now that Betty was out of the room — to the 
point of drowsiness. 

Anita, whose seat was well up toward the 


THE SPIDER AND THE FLY 147 

front, yawned behind her Latin Grammar, and 
stared vacantly at the ceiling. 

Suddenly her roving eye lighted upon some- 
thing which promised diversion, and she be- 
came interested at once. 

In the ceiling, just over Miss Brownes head, 
was a small square opening, formerly filled by 
a stovepipe in the days before furnace heat 
was introduced at Rutledge. 

From this opening steadily descended a 
thread — or was it a cobweb? with a big spider 
at the end, spinning it out slowly but surely. 

But no,’' reasoned Anita with herself. “ It 
is much too shiny and spindly for a spider. 
What can it be? ” 

She touched Mary Mason and whispered the 
interesting bit of news into her ear. 

Then Delia and Dora received a suggestive 
wink, until finally every girl in the room was 
watching with silent, intense interest the 
slowly lengthening thread. 

And still Miss Brown dozed on, for by this 
time her lassitude had become a well-recog- 
nized slumber. 

Inch by inch the queer-looking object at the 
end of the thread was lowered until, after one 
long, strained, intent moment, when the tick- 


148 


THE TAMING OP BETTY 


ing of the clock reverberated through the room 
like the pounding of a great hammer on dull 
metal, and each girl leaned forward over her 
desk in breathless anticipation, it touched the 
sacred structure of puffs and curls on the nod- 
ding head of the Watch Dog,’’ grasped it 
firmly, and — slowly, but surely, lifted it up, 
up, up toward the hole in the ceiling. 

The school rocked in the agonies of silent 
laughter. 

Miss Brown awakened with a violent start, 
stared vacantly for a moment at the agonized 
expression on the faces in front of her, and 
then, with a gasp and look of horror in her 
eyes, she clapped her hands to her head — en- 
tirely bare now, save for the tiny knot of gray- 
ing hair on the very topmost pinnacle of her 
skull. 

Betty ! ” murmured Anita to herself, and, 
as she told Mary afterwards, it was the last 
conscious thought in her mind for ten minutes. 

She had only a vague and confused idea that 
Miss Brown’s eyes seemed to search, sepa- 
rately, each girl’s conscience for the missing 
wig, and finally, following their gaze upward, 
she jumped upon her chair, seized the vanish- 
ing puffs and frizzes, and settling them more 


THE SPIDER AND THE FLY 


149 


awry than ever on her head, rang the bell furi- 
ously for order, and announced in a voice that 
trembled with rage : Conduct crosses for the 
entire school ! ” 

But it was when Betty, looking as innocent 
as Noah^s Ark-dove made her way leisurely 
into the schoolroom a few minutes later, that 
her temper became uncontrollable. 

In a choking voice she ordered Dora Mason 
to take her chair on the platform and keep the 
girls quiet, and then rushing down the aisle 
she caught the amazed Betty by the shoulder, 
hissing through her closed teeth : Come with 
me at once to Miss Worthington, you little 
viper ! ” 

Poor Betty ! ’’ said Anita when the two dis- 
appeared. That vixenish old woman seems 
fairly to hate her. 

I wouldnT be in her shoes for half my 
holidays ! ” 

Neither would I ! ” said Dora, “ but do 
hush, Anita, you know she’ll ask me if any one 
talked when she comes back.” 

Never, in the memory of this school had 
Miss Brown been in such a towering rage. 

She could scarcely control her voice to pour 
out her long string of accusations and denun- 


160 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


ciations; and once Miss Worthington had to 
say to her in her own always quiet tone, “ Try 
to speak more calmly, Miss Brown.” 

But the moment for calmness was past for 
Miss Brown. 

Her prejudice and dislike to Betty had been 
growing daily and now came out in such a tor- 
rent of abuse as Betty had never heard before 
in all her life ; and her longing to be expelled 
forever ” was forgotten in the demands made 
by her self-respect to speak out and clear her 
good name, and stand up for the truth that 
was in her. 

“ Now, Betty, I will hear your side,” said 
Miss Worthington, when Miss Brown paused 
from sheer exhaustion and lack of breath. 

“ You will put that child^s word against 
mine ! ” cried Miss Brown. 

It is lowering my dignity as head teacher 
for you even to think of doing such a thing. 
Miss Worthington. You surely believe me in 
preference to this — deceitful child, who does 
not know how to speak the truth ! ” 

Of course I believe you. Miss Brown,” said 
Miss Worthington, but I think it only due 
Betty that I should hear her side of the matter 
as well. 


THE SPIDER AND THE FLY 151 

You have accused her of some of the grav- 
est of misdeeds that my girls have been guilty 
of, and it is only fair to her that I hear her 
excuses, if she has any to offer. 

Now, Betty,’^ she said, turning to meet the 
angry, fearless brown eyes. What have you 
to say for yourself? 

Only this. Miss Worthington,’^ answered 
Betty, looking straight up at her. That I 
have never told a falsehood in my life, and I 
have never been accused before of telling one.” 

How surprised Jack would have been at the 
dignity of his small cousin ! 

“ I did receive a note at the chapel, but it 
was not for me and I did not know the boy who 
slipped it into my hand. 

“ I did put another note into the hollow of 
the maple tree, but I did not write it myself, 
and I cannot tell you who did. 

“ As to last night, it was the Andersons’ dog 
I let out of the door. I can’t prove it. You 
will either have to take my word for it, or the 
Wa — or Miss Brown’s. 

‘^And as to the — her — the wig. I did fish 
for it with a big bent pin, and — I caught it,” 
and Betty could not help giving a malicious 
little grin at Miss Brown’s snort of rage. 


152 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


But Miss Worthington looked very serious 
indeed, and when Miss Brown left the room 
she made Betty sit in a chair beside her and 
said kindly but firmly : I have tried to make 
every excuse for you, Betty. 

I have passed over many reports of your 
misbehavior, because you are the youngest girl 
in my school, and because I thought you would 
yield to kindness and forbearance. But your 
conduct for the past two weeks has become un- 
bearable and there is but one thing left me — 
to write to your father and tell him the whole 
truth. 

“ I like my girls to have plenty of spirit and 
pluck, but I cannot for a moment tolerate any 
communication whatsoever with St. Julianas. 
You know that as well as I do. And I will not 
permit any disrespect to my assistants. 

“ Because you are so young, and because it 
is your first experience of school, I shall not 
take upon myself the responsibility of casting 
a shadow over your whole life by expelling you 
in your first year. But I shall certainly rec- 
ommend that your parents keep you at home 
until you have learned the sadly needed lesson 
of respect to your elders.^^ 

But you won’t tell father I told a false- 


THE SPIDER AND THE FLY 153 

hood, will you, Miss Worthington?’^ pleaded 
Betty. You do believe I have told you the 
truth, don’t you?” 

Yes, I do,” said Miss Worthington. 

Miss Brown is extremely short-sighted and 
I am sure I can convince her that she made a 
mistake last night. 

In regard to your punishment, I shall wait 
until I hear from your father in regard to that 
matter, though I tell you quite frankly, Betty, 
if you were one of the older girls I should cer- 
tainly expel you forthwith. 

“ Now go, but remember that I do not wish 
to hear another complaint of you while you 
stay with me, do you understand? ” 

Betty understood perfectly. 

She was greatly distressed at being the 
cause of such annoyance to Miss Worthington, 
but the words, I shall recommend that your 
parents keep you at hom^,” rang joyously in 
her ears and speedily drowned her remorse. 

She clasped her hands together in a sort of 
ecstasy as she left the study, and her eyes shone 
with a subdued excitement as she whispered to 
herself : “ At last, at last. Oh, how happy, 
how very happy I am ! ” 


CHAPTER XII 


A DISAPPOINTMENT 

The next few days were blissful to Betty. 
She felt as if she were walking on air with her 
head among the stars. 

And indeed all the girls went about with 
Christmasy smiles on their faces, and brains 
so full of delightful plans for the holidays that 
lessons and lectures became a mere farce and 
the teachers had not the heart to scold. 

Grandmama had said in her last letter, that 
mammy would come up on the early train 
Wednesday, so that she would have several 
hours in which to pack Betty’s trunk before 
it was time to leave, and Betty felt as if she 
could not possibly wait for the moment to 
arrive. 

She read grandmama’s letter over and 
over till she knew it by heart, and when she 
came to the part which said, I hope to make 
this the happiest Christmas my little girl has 
ever known,” she had to put it down for a mo- 
154 


A DISAPPOINTMENT 


155 


ment, to clasp her hands tightly and wonder 
what beautiful plans grandmama had in her 
head when she wrote those words. 

Come here, Betty, you lazy thing, and help 
me fold my ribbons and hunt for my button- 
hook,” called Anita on Tuesday afternoon, as 
Betty stood by the window in her room whis- 
tling softly to herself, and staring out across 
the lawn, which was growing whiter and whiter 
with the powdery snow that had begun to fall. 

Betty turned around with alacrity, for all 
the girls were busy packing except herself, and 
but for mammy^s certain disappointment at 
being deprived of the privilege she would have 
taken matters in her own hands and been just 
as busily engaged as they. 

Ah, you^re a little brown angel ! ” cried 
Anita, as after much poking under the beds 
and bureau the missing button-hook at last ap- 
peared. 

“ Now just tuck these away for me care- 
fully in that top tray, and I’ll have my tin- 
type taken for you in Axminster,” she added 
gayly, for Dora and Mary Mason had invited 
her to go home with them for the holidays, and 
she was overjoyed at the prospect. 

Just think,” said Betty, giving the ribbons 


156 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


a final pat : By this time to-morrow not a girl 
will be left in the house. It must seem 
awfully dull and lonely to Miss Worthington 
when we all go.’^ 

“ A blessed feeling/’ laughed Anita ; “ save 
your sympathies, my good child, for a more 
worthy object. I don’t believe she will waste 
many tears over onr departure. What are 
you going to do with yourself at home, 
Betty? ” 

Betty drew a long breath. Just being at 
home is all the Christmas I could possibly 
wish for this year,” she said, twirling gayly 
about the room, but grandmama — well, I 
don’t know exactly what she has in her mind, 
but it must be something awfully jolly, for she 
wrote me it was going to be the very happiest 
Christmas I have ever had, and I’ve had some 
pretty good ones. 

Of course. Jack and I are lots too old now 
for Christmas trees, but we always hang our 
stockings up for the candy and nuts and small 
presents — we each found a ten-dollar gold 
piece in them last Christmas. 

And then after breakfast we all go into the 
library, and there are stacks and stacks of par- 
cels all scattered over the i3iano and tables and 


A DISAPPOINTMENT 


157 


chafrs, tied with pretty bright ribbons and lots 
of. holly and mistletoe^ and we fall upon them 
like thieves and open them right away. You 
should just see the library when we have fin- 
ished, and hear mammy scold. 

She always says the room looks like a 

whirlwind had struck it, and it does — and 

Oh, dear! how I wish to-morrow would hurry 
and come. 

“ Last Christmas in the midst of the un- 
wrapping we heard such a pounding and 
thumping out on the porch, and when we 
looked up, there was Nick^s head — he’s our 
donkey, you know — peering through the win- 
dow with a large bow tied on his left ear. 

He looked so solemn and so in earnest, just 
as if he understood he was a Christmas pres- 
ent, and we were so delighted to get him. But 
now that Jack is to have a horse — grandmama 
is going to give it to him for Christmas — and 
I have Merrylegs, I think we will just turn 
our share in Nick over to the children.” 

The children ! ” exclaimed Anita. 

Yes, Joyce and Julianna. Jack and I al- 
ways call them the children, it makes them so 
hopping mad. Oh, Anita,” — giving her friend’s 
hand a frantic squeeze, — don’t you wish it 


158 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


was to-morrow! And isn’t it jolly having 
snow for Christmas! 

When it snows at home we always hitch 
our sleds on to Nick — four of them — and he 
just tears through the garden and upsets us 
on all sides till we look like snow men. It 
is such fun I ” 

And Betty, carried away by the joy of re- 
membrance, flew down the corridor, glanced 
hastily around to see if a teacher were in 
sight, slid swiftly down the banisters, and 
with a yell that wakened the echoes, bounded 
coatless and hatless out of doors, where she 
careered around and around the circle in the 
snow like a frisky young colt. 

Some of the girls whose homes were farthest 
away, were leaving on the evening train, and 
there was much leave-taking in the big hall 
after supper, while Jonas, cold with waiting 
outside in the carriage, whose lamps threw 
wide circles of light on the whitening ground, 
called to them, “ Yo’-all is sho’ gwine ter miss 
dat train ef yo’ don’ come ’long, young 
misses.” 

The next morning Betty was up betimes 
and threw open her blinds to a dazzling white 
landscape. 


A DISAPPOINTMENT 


169 


Just come and look, Helen, she cried with 
delight, for snow in the country was a new ex- 
perience to her, and she was entirely overcome 
by the vastness of it. 

Long before the time for the express to 
arrive with mammy, she was besieging Jonas 
with pleas and bribes to hurry and hitch up,^^ 
but Jonas had followed his own methods some 
five and forty years and was deaf to all en- 
treaties. 

Some ob de young ladies is gwine away on 
dis same train, you go ’long in and hurry dem 
up, miss, dat’s mo’ to de p’int,” he said, filling 
his old corn-cob pipe with a deliberate careful- 
ness that enraged the impatient Betty. 

“ Jonas ain neber got lef’ yet, an’ ’tain’t 
likely he’s gwine ter git lef at dis late day,” 
and that was all the satisfaction Betty could 
get from him. 

At last the roomy old sleigh came to the 
door, its fat horses swinging lazily around the 
circle, with their bells jingling, and Betty, in a 
fever of excitement, bounded down the steps 
and snuggled down under the fur robe between 
Delia Robinson and Helen, Avho, with four or 
five other girls, were to go North on mammy’s 
train,” as Betty persisted in calling it. 


160 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


The air had a fine tang. 

The snow had not drifted, but lay as 
smoothly as a spread blanket over the ground, 
and the girls were in the merriest spirits, 
chaffing each other about every conceivable 
thing, and roaring with laughter over an im- 
promptu rhyme which Delia made. 

“ Bouncing Betty went a-fishing. 

She’d no bait to dig, 

She tied a pin onto a string 

And hooked the ‘ Watch Dog’s ' wig.” 

Didn^t you catch anything else, Betty? ” 
asked Helen, wiping laughter-tears from her 
eyes. 

Yes, a wigging,’^ said Betty quickly. 
“ Miss Worthington gave it to me.” 

She let you off easy,” said Delia, “ if that 
was all she gave you. Are you sure there’s 
nothing else coming to you? I surely thought 
you’d be sent home, Betty, for your many 
wickednesses.” 

But the sleigh had pulled up at the little 
station, and Betty, who thought she heard a 
faint echo of the train in the distance, was far 
too interested in watching for it to answer. 

In the bustle and confusion she entirely for- 


A DISAPPOINTMENT 


161 


got to .say good-bye to the girls, though Delia, 
who saw her trotting anxiously up and down 
the platform, opened her window and called 
out : What’s the matter, Betty, lost any- 

thing? ” 

I can’t find mammy,” said Betty in a 
choked voice. 

Oh, captain,” she called agonizingly to the 
conductor, who was crying All aboard ! ” 
Please, please wait just a minute longer till 
I find mammy. She’s on this train somewhere 
and I know she’s forgotten to get off.” 

Where does she come from?” asked the 
conductor kindly. 

<< From Richmond.” 

Colored or white? ” 

Mammy? Why colored, of course,” said 
Betty. 

Not a colored woman on this train, for a 
wonder,” said the conductor. I’m sorry, 
miss.” And he gave his signal, and the train 
moved off, leaving Betty in tears on the plat- 
form. 

Neber min’, missy. I ’spect she’ll come 
on de four-’clock ex-press,” said Jonas sympa- 
thetically, as he threw the Rutledge mail bag 
into the sleigh. 


162 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


‘‘ But I was to go home at half-past three,” 
choked Betty, climbing in and sinking down 
miserably on the seat. 

Oh, dear ! oh, dear ! I feel so unhappy ! ” 

Jonas looked around at her, Maybe dar^s 
a letter in dis bag tellin’ why she ain^t come,” 
he said consolingly. 

Oh, perhaps there is,” cried Betty, fired 
at once with a new hope, as she sat up and 
dried her eyes. 

Oh, thank you so much, Jonas, for think- 
ing of that. I am sure they couldn’t spare her 
and grandmama has written that I must come 
with some of the girls,” and the sunshine 
fiashed into her face again and her eyes 
sparkled. 

Even when the most careful search over the 
table in the girls’ library, where the mail was 
usually spread for distribution, discovered 
nothing for her, Betty did not lose heart, for 
she was quite sure Miss Worthington would 
send for her presently and tell her the good 
news. 

So when the message finally came that her 
presence was desired in the study, she danced 
down the steps and across the hall as lightly 
and as gayly as a bit of thistle-down. 


A DISAPPOINTMENT 


163 


What could make Miss Worthington look at 
her so queerly as she went in? Was she afraid 
to trust her that little distance with dozens of 
girls, some of whom were going further on? 

And why did her voice tremble so when she 
cleared her throat and began, “ Betty, my 
child ’’ What was she saying? 

Your father has just written to say that he 
does not wish you to come home for the 
Christmas holidays.’’ 

Doesn’t wish me to come home,” repeated 
Betty in a dull voice. 

What did it all mean? 

What a cruel joke it was! 

In another moment Miss Worthington’s 
mouth would go up one side as it always did 
when she pretended not to be amused, and then 
she would turn her back and Betty would see 
her shoulders begin to shake as they did the 
day she told her of — but Miss Worthington 
was speaking again, and now she had put her 
arms around Betty and drawn her close to 
her side. 

“ My poor child, my poor little child,” she 
was saying soothingly. I am sorry from my 
very heart. I almost — I quite wish I had not 
written to your father. 


164 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


The punishment is very hard for you to 
bear, I know. Too hard, perhaps,’^ she added 
anxiously, for now, at last, Betty understood, 
and her face grew suddenly as white and 
drawn as if she had just come through a spell 
of illness. 

Not to go home,” she cried piteously, push- 
ing Miss Worthington’s arms away as if they 
had grown too heavy for her shoulders. 

I am not to go home? I am to stay here 
all alone through all the Christmas holidays. 
Oh, father, father, how you must hate me ! ” 
and she fell in a pitiful little heap at Miss 
Worthington’s feet. 

The morning passed somehow. 

To Betty it seemed days and days long, and 
when the hour finally came for all the girls to 
leave, on the very train which she had looked 
forward with all her heart to taking with 
mammy, she could stand it no longer, but went 
into her lonely little room, and locking the 
door, fell on the bed in a paroxysm of pas- 
sionate sobs. 

Won’t you let me in, Betty? ” called Anita. 

I — I want to say how awfully sorry I am, 
and to tell you good-bye.” 


A DISAPPOINTMENT 


165 


“No, no ! I can^t say good-bye/^ sobbed 
Betty. “ Don’t ask me to say good-bye, Anita. 
Don’t, don’t. It would be too hard ! ” 

And Anita, with tears in her eyes, tripped 
away softly to beg the other girls to make no 
noise as they went past the door, and they 
stole silently down the stairs, and bade fare- 
well to Miss Worthington as quietly as if some 
one lay ill in the house. 

Anita, whose generous heart ached sorely 
for her little friend, had half a mind to give up 
her own trip and stay at school as she had at 
first intended to do; but Mary Mason finally 
persuaded her that she would be as disap- 
pointed in her way as Betty was, and that two 
wrongs could not make a right, so Anita gave 
in and climbed into the sleigh with red eyelids 
and a big lump in her throat. 

Finally came Miss Worthington, and Betty 
pulled herself up wearily, and unlocked the 
door in answer to her quiet request to come in. 

Then with a gentleness which Betty did not 
dream her capable of she took the little girl on 
her lap, and put her arms closely around her, 
just as grandmama always did, and talked to 
her so tenderly and so sympathetically that by 
the time Joe came up to announce supper, 


166 


THE TAMING @F BETTY 


Betty’s sobs had ceased, and Miss Worthing- 
ton persuaded her to bathe her aching head 
and smarting eyes, and come with her down- 
stairs. 

But the sight of the big, empty dining room, 
with only two of the teachers left to fill the 
small table which Joe had set in a corner of 
the room, brought Betty’s woes sharply to 
mind again, and a great many salty tears fell 
into the glass of milk, and softened the bit of 
toast which Miss Worthington insisted that 
she should take. 

That night, when she laid awake through 
the long silent hours in the little cot which 
Miss Worthington had had placed by the side 
of her own bed, staring into the darkness 
with weary eyes, and vainly trying to stifie her 
sobs, a cool, soft hand was laid gently on her 
head and a quiet voice whispered : “ Try to 

go to sleep, my dear, and forget your troubles 
for a little while, and I promise to do all I can 
to make your holidays pass as quickly as pos- 
sible.” 

And worn out with her grief, and soothed 
by the touch of her hand and voice, Betty fell 
asleep. 


CHAPTER XIII 


THE HOLIDAYS 

Miss Worthington was as good as her 
word, for next morning immediately after 
breakfast, she ordered the small cutter and 
Elsket, her own pretty mare, and tucking 
Betty carefully in beside her, they set off for 
Coventry to do some Christmas shopping. 

The sun shone so brilliantly over the great 
fields of snow, the little mare trotted along so 
briskly with her bells playing such a merry 
tune, and Miss Worthington chatted so gayly 
of the purchases they were to make that 
Betty^s spirits rose in spite of herself, and she 
found herself actually laughing at some of the 
anecdotes Miss Worthington told of the school 
days of many years ago. 

Only when they reached the long covered 
bridge she began to feel a little conscious, for 
she had never quite gotten over the impression 
that Miss Worthington’s eyes could read the 
very thoughts of one’s heart, and it was here 
167 


168 THE TAMING OF BETTY 

that she costumed herself and Merrylegs for 
the mortifying surprise she gave Miss Brown 
on her last expedition to Coventry. 

There were small boys at each corner of the 
streets, who were delighted to keep an eye on 
Elsket for a few pennies, and leaving the cut- 
ter in charge of the steadiest looking urchin, 
they threaded their way along the busy side- 
walks through crowds of Christmas shoppers. 

“ The toyshops first, if you please,’^ said 
Miss Worthington, for I have to buy an arm- 
ful of dolls and jack-kMives and automatic toys 
for those small nieces and nephews of mine. 
They always come to spend Christmas day 
with me, and eat the fat old gobbler Aunt 
Caroline has been stuffing for the purpose for 
weeks. I am so glad I shall have you to help 
me with them to-morrow, Betty, for I am 
usually quite exhausted with their pranks be- 
fore the day is over. By the way, have you 
any money? 

Oh, yes,’’ said Betty, holding up her purse. 

I have ten dollars, and nearly a half which 
grandmama sent me because she thought I 
might like to get some presents for the girls 
before I — before I ' went home,” she finished 
bravely. 


THE HOLIDAYS 


169 


What do you think would be a pretty 
present for grandmama, Miss Worthing- 
ton?’’ 

How do you suppose she would like a little 
bronze ^ housewife ’ to hold her thimble and 
embroidery scissors and silks?” asked Miss 
Worthington. They make very dainty ones 
at the Woman’s Exchange.” 

Oh, I think she would love it,” cried Betty. 

She is always losing her silk and her scissors, 
and I know she will be so glad to have some 
place to keep them safe. 

I thought of a riding crop for Jack — he’s 
going to have a horse of his own, you know — 
and his old crop is so shabby. And a purse 
with silver corners for Julianna. She’s always 
wanted one. And do you think a card-case 
would be too old for Joyce? She’s only nine, 
but she loves to dress up and play she is a 
grown lady. Aunt Berta is always having to 
hide her best frocks from her. 

She looks so comical when she gets into 
them, with everything a mile too long and too 
wide, and ties a veil over her little turn-up 
nose, I wish you could see her,” and Betty 
threw her head back and laughed merrily at 
the recollection. 


170 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Then, there is Uncle John and Aunt 
Berta, and mama,’’ she went on, thoughtfully 
counting them over on her fingers. 

And your father? ” suggested Miss Worth- 
ington. But the rebellious frown on Betty’s 
face made her change the subject abruptly, for 
she could not blame her for her lack of en- 
thusiasm in looking for a present for her 
father. 

What will you give mammy? ” she asked 
quickly. 

« Why, I thought one of those leather cases 
of scissors w’ould be fine for her,” said Betty, 
her face brightening up again. And she 
would have to give me a penny, wouldn’t she, 
to break the bad luck? 

And then, Miss Worthington, I would like 
to send something nice to old Mr. Dobbin and 
his wife. They were so kind to me when I — 
the time I ran away from home,” she said 
hurriedly “ And, of course, I would like to 
give something to Jonas and Aunt Car’line, 
and the others.” 

My dear child,” laughed Miss Worthing- 
ton, it would really take the magic purse of 
Fortunatus to supply your demands. How- 
ever, your father left some money with me in 


THE HOLIDAYS 


171 


case you should need it, and I think you will 
need it badly before the day is over. Anyhow, 
we will do our best,’’ she said cheerfully, as 
they turned into the Woman’s Exchange. 

When the little housewife ” had been care- 
fully selected, and while it was being wrapped, 
Betty’s quick eyes caught sight of a beautiful 
little linen bag for handkerchiefs, which she 
thought would be the very thing to give Miss 
Worthington, and in a low tone she asked the 
price. 

I’ll take that, too, please,” she whispered, 
finding it came within her means, and adroitly 
engaged Miss Worthington’s attention till it 
was tied up in a neat little bundle. 

Betty,” said Miss Worthington, as they 
piled their packages into the cutter till it 
looked as if Santa Claus himself were about to 
step in for his Christmas rounds, “ what do 
you think of having a Christmas tree for my 
small nieces and nephews? 

They are such merry little tots, and last 
year two of my teachers were ill all through 
Christmas week, and I could not even have the 
children over to spend the day.” 

I think it is a splendid idea,” said Betty, 
clasping her hands, as she always did when 


17^ THE TAMING OF BETTY 

anything moved her. I would dearly love to 
fix a Christmas tree, and you will let me help 
you, won^t you. Miss Worthington? 

I saw lots of little things that go on 
Christmas trees at one of the shops we were 
in, and a beautiful gilt angel to swing from 
the top, and we can decorate it this afternoon 
after dinner, can^t we? 

Miss Worthington smiled delightedly at 
Betty’s enthusiasm. 

She had proposed the Christmas tree more 
on her account than on that of her small nieces 
and nephews, for she knew that the surest way 
to forget our own troubles and be happy our- 
selves is to try to make some one else happy, 
and Betty was proving it in each word she ut- 
tered. 

So they hurried back to the toyshop, and 
laid in a great supply of gilt and silver ropes 
and tinsel ornaments, and iridescent dangles 
of every description, not forgetting the gilt 
angel to swing from the top, and Betty was 
requested to go out immediately after dinner 
with Miss Worthington and Jonas to select 
the tree. 

Then, climbing into the cutter as well as 
they could for the numerous packages and 


THE HOLIDAYS 


173 


bundles and boxes, they turned their faces 
homeward, and Elsket, hungry for her corn 
and oats, flew jinglingly over the snow as fast 
as her legs could carry her. 

It was only when they turned in at the gate 
and drove up to the big, silent house, so empty 
and yet so full of the echoes of departed feet 
that Betty^s loneliness came over her again 
with a rush, and she could not keep back the 
tears, though she felt that each one was a 
little drop of ingratitude for the kindness Miss 
Worthington had shown her, and struggled 
hard for self-control. All her things had been 
brought down to the little hall room next Miss 
Worthington’s, for Miss Brown had taken her 
departure with the first batch of girls who 
left, and the corridor was as empty as a last 
year’s bird’s nest. 

So, while Betty threw off her pretty red coat 
with its black leather belt, and her fuzzy red 
Tam O’Shanter, which she loved much better 
than the big black hat, and wore as often as 
she could; Miss Worthington called from her 
own room to say : Betty, my dear, you must 
give Merrylegs some exercise while Jonas is 
planting the Christmas tree in its box. I know 
he longs to be out this deliciously crisp after- 


174 


THE TAMING OP BETTY 


noon/’ and so turned her thoughts into other 
channels than her own loneliness and home- 
sickness. 

Dinner was a very cheerful meal, for Miss 
Hope, the music teacher, and Ma’amselle, took 
a lively interest in the morning’s purchases 
and the proposed Christmas tree. 

By the time the tree was selected and J onas 
had packed it securely in its box in the middle 
of the hall, with green moss and running cedar 
trailing over its foundation as naturally and 
as artistically as if it had grown there all its 
life, Betty came in from her canter with rosy 
cheeks, eager to begin the work of decorating. 

Now, Betty,” said Miss Worthington 
gravely, I shall have to leave the decoration 
of this tree entirely in your hands, though Miss 
Hope and Mademoiselle promised to give you 
all the assistance you require, for I find I 
have some very important letters to an- 
swer. 

You have had so many Christmas trees at 
home, you will know just how to make this 
one a success,” and with an encouraging smile 
she opened the door and disappeared into her 
study. 

Betty felt very important indeed, for 


THE HOLIDAYS 


175 


Ma’amselle consulted her at every turn, and at 
last Miss Hope said warmly, as she tied on 
the last ornament under Betty^s direction, and 
stepped back to take in the effect : “ Well, my 
dear, I must compliment you on your good 
taste, for this is really the most artistic tree I 
have ever seen.” 

Betty thought so too, for she had the trick 
of becoming absolutely absorbed in whatever 
occupation she was undertaking, and putting 
all her heart and soul into it. 

She therefore felt well rewarded when Miss 
Worthington’s study door opened again, and 
she came out and walked slowly around the 
tree, praising it anew from every fresh point 
of observation. 

I know these busy little fingers are tired,” 
she said, taking Betty’s hand into her cool, 
soft clasp, but they are wonderfully clever 
little fingers, and I am more than delighted 
with the success they have made of my Christ- 
mas tree.” 

So Betty fell asleep that Christmas eve 
night with a sensation that was entirely new 
to her — a longing to win and keep always 
Miss Worthington’s approbation. 

The words of praise which she had heard 


176 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


rang in her ears as she settled her head com- 
fortably on her pillow for a long winter^s 
nap ; and when the thought of home came to 
her, and of the fun Jack, Joyce, and Julianna 
were having in hanging up their stockings and 
looking forward eagerly to opening their pres- 
ents in the morning, she put it out of her 
mind as bravely as she knew how. 

In just ten minutes, it seemed to her, she 
heard Miss Worthington^s voice say cheerily, 
“ A merry Christmas, Betty,^’ and opening her 
eyes sleepily she saw a well-filled stocking 
lying on the pillow beside her. 

Oh, is this really for me ! ’’ she exclaimed, 
sitting up in bed and beginning to empty it de- 
lightedly. 

First, of course, came the candy and nuts, 
and then, wrapped in tissue paper and tied 
with pretty red ribbons, was the loveliest little 
red housewife,” exactly like the one she had 
sent grandmama, only smaller, and fitted with 
the dearest little scissors and thimble imagi- 
nable, from Miss Worthington. 

Down in the toe was a five-dollar gold piece; 
“ From your father,” Miss Worthington ex- 
plained. For she had not the heart to tell 
Betty that her father had added as a post- 


THE HOLIDAYS 


177 


script to his letter : It is also my desire that 
she shall receive no Christmas presents at all 
this year ” ; and she had taken the liberty of 
presenting her with some of the money he had 
left for her in the shape of a gold piece. 

Two packages on the foot of the bed proved 
to be a pretty pair of mittens and a shaggy 
white Tam/’ which Miss Hope and Ma’am- 
selle had knit for her. Betty climbed into 
Miss Worthington’s bed and threw her arms 
impulsively around her neck, forgetful of the 
piercing eyes and stately dignity of that lady. 

How can I thank you for being so kind 
to me? ” she said chokingly. “ You make me 
feel as if I never wanted to be naughty again 
as long as I live, Miss Worthington.” But 
now it was time to dress, for the six little 
nieces and nephews were early risers and 
insisted on starting for Rutledge the moment 
they swallowed their breakfasts. Betty had 
to take her own presents to the servants’ 
quarters, too, stopping by the dining room 
to put some small parcels on the covers laid 
there. 

She was so glad that she had remembered to 
get that little vase yesterday for Ma’amselle, 
who adored flowers, and the pretty paper- 


178 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


weight for Miss Hope, who was always losing 
her papers. 

Judging by their appreciation, when they 
came into breakfast, she could not have 
selected anything more suitable; while Miss 
Worthington declared that a handkerchief-bag 
was just what she had been wanting for years. 

Before the last buckwheat cake had received 
its baptism of maple syrup, there was a great 
noise of jingling bells and shouting, laughing 
children ; and Betty rushed to the door in time 
to blindfold the little tots and lead them, 
struggling and giggling, past the glories of the 
(Christmas tree, which was not on vieAv till the 
hall was darkened and the candles lighted. 

Then they marched in, two-and-two, Tom- 
mie and Tottie, the twins, heading the proces- 
sion, and greeted the beautiful, twinkling, 
sparkling tree with such Ohs and Ahs,’’ 
such shining eyes and squeals of delight, such 
dancing and capering and clapping of hands, 
that Betty clasped her own hands excitedly, 
and danced about as happily as the youngest 
one of them. 

But when the presents were all distributed, 
and Tommie and Tottie were wrangling good- 
naturedly over a train of choo-choo cars in 


THE HOLIDAYS’ 


179 


the corner, and the others were contentedly 
nursing their dolls, winding their automatic 
toys, and making sticky efforts to untie the 
ribbons that held the little candy bags ; Betty 
began to realize that she had had no presents 
from home, and to wonder if grandmama were 
angry with her, too, that she had not sent her 
anything, and Aunt Berta, and — but a heavy 
rap at the knocker of the big hall-door inter- 
rupted her sad meditations. 

Somep’n outside fer Miss Betty Ran- 
dolph,’’ called Jonas in a loud voice, and she 
flew to the door. 

There stood Merrylegs in the brightest of 
Fairleather harness and trimmings, pawing 
the snow daintily, and pricking his ears in 
anticipation of Betty’s delight, while behind 
him was the most fascinating little basket trap 
in the world. 

Around the whip a card was tied and Betty 
seized it with eager fingers and read : “ With 
the dearest love of grandmama, and a very 
happy Christmas for my little Betty.” 

Nothing would do but that Miss Worthing- 
ton should put on a golf-cape and come with 
her immediately for a trial trip, for, as Jonas 
said, De snow am so well packed, an’ dat 


180 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


little consarn run so light, Merrylaigs 
wouldn’t min’ pullin’ it all ober de country.” 

And, indeed, Merrylegs seemed almost as 
proud of his new trap as his little mistress, 
and trotted off in his very best style, arching 
his neck, and picking his feet up lightly. 

Isn’t it just beautiful? and so delightfully 
comfy ! ” exclaimed Betty enthusiastically. 

The seat behind will just hold Anita and 
Helen if they don’t mind riding backwards,” 
and Miss Worthington agreed that it was all 
a trap should be in every possible way. Then 
Miss Hope and Ma’amselle each had a turn, 
and of course the children begged to be driven 
around the circle in “ Betty’s new twap.” 

But the arrival of the twap ” was only 
the beginning of surprises, for when Betty 
reluctantly turned it over to Jonas and went 
inside to thaw out before the big wood fire in 
the hall, she spied a mysterious box, on which 
her name and address were written in large, 
black letters, lying on the settle, and away 
she flew forthwith for little black George to 
bring his hatchet and open it. 

With eager fingers she unpacked the pretty 
gifts, — an ivory-backed brush and mirror from 
Uncle John and Aunt Berta, which just com- 


THE HOLIDAYS 


181 


pleted the set she was collecting for her dress- 
ing-table. A shoe-bag, which Julianna had 
proudly made with her own hands. A picture 
frame, covered with flowers, the names of 
which could not possibly be found in any work 
on botany, but which Betty thought beautiful 
because they were painted with great care and 
pains by Joyce. And, Anally, a small patent- 
leather case which held the most attractive 
little carriage-cloak she had ever seen, from 
Jack. 

Betty put her arms around it and gave it a 
good hug, for she knew what a goodly share of 
Jack’s Christmas money must have gone into 
that little patent-leather case. 

Tucked into its strap was a note which said : 

Uncle Tom said you were not to have any 
Christmas presents sent from home, but grand- 
mania and I thought it was a shame, so we got 
ours safely off while he was at the office. 
Don’t give us away. We miss you like fury, 
and Christmas isn’t a bit the same without 
you — Jack.” 

So Betty spent her Christmas day very 
happily, after all, and when the sandman 
made his rounds a little earlier than usual, 
and she found it harder and harder every min- 


182 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


ute to prop up the heavy lids, Miss Worthing- 
ton called her to her side and said : Good- 

night, my dear. Your pillow is waiting for 
you and I am sure it is filled with rosy dreams, 
for you have made many hearts happy to-day 
by being so brave and sweet and unselfish/^ 


CHAPTER XIV 


A ST. JULIANA’S BOY 

The next morning Miss Worthington and 
her small household drove over in the big 
sleigh to ‘‘ Fairley/’ her sister’s place, where 
the children did all in their power to give 
Betty as happy a day as she had given 
them. 

Another day they spent with their neigh- 
bors, the Andersons, who owned the big New- 
foundland which had been the bone of con- 
tention between Betty and Miss Brown; and 
so the week flew by with incredible swift- 
ness. 

But on New Year’s Day, poor Miss Worth- 
ington awoke with a wretched headache, and 
silence settled again upon the house. 

In spite of Miss Worthington’s efforts to 
entertain her, and Ma’amselle’s unspeakably 
funny stories in broken English, Betty grew 
more and more homesick every moment, and 
only a brilliant idea that occurred to Miss 
183 


184 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Worthington — that she should take a sled one 
of the girls had left behind and go coasting 
on the hill just beyond the house — saved her 
from a very miserable afternoon, indeed. 

Now every one knows that coasting down a 
smooth hill, with a bouncing thank-ye- 
ma’am ’’ almost at the end to add to the stimu- 
lation of the swift whiz through the frosty 
air, is very exhilarating sport. 

But every one knows, also, that the long, 
breathless climb back to the top again, drag- 
ging a sled which seems somehow to have 
dropped its wings in its downward flight, is a 
most tedious performance, unless one has com- 
pany on the way. 

And so, after three or four such climbs 
Betty stood hesitating at the top, wondering 
if it were really as good sport as she had 
thought it the first time, and if it would not be 
better fun to go back and coax the timid Miss 
Hope to come with her for a short horseback 
ride instead. 

1^11 just try it once more,” she said to her- 
self as she took her seat on the Snow Queen, 
as the little sled was labeled in frosted white 
letters on a red ground, and she tucked her feet 
up and clutched the ropes. 


A ST. JULIAN'S BOY 


185 


It was fun! 

The trees seemed to fly by just as they did 
when she was on a railroad train. 

The cold air roared past her ears, tucked 
warmly under the new, shaggy white Tam, 
and there, a few yards away, rose the thank- 
ye-ma'am,'' looking from Betty’s low seat on 
the sled like a white wave which threatened to 
engulf her. 

Betty held tight to the sides of the sled, and 
got one foot ready to steer with if need be, 
when just behind her a frightened voice 
shouted loudly, “ Look out, there ! ” 

In another second she had shot up into the 
thank-ye-ma’pm,” turned a somersault, and 
landed comfortably in a deep snow-bank, in 
the corner of the fence, where she sat staring 
with all her might, too. much surprised to pull 
herself out. 

Then from the depths of another drift on the 
other side of the “ thank-ye-ma’am,” she be- 
held a pair of sturdy legs waving wildly about, 
and presently their owner — a lad of about 
Jack’s size — gave a kick and a squirm which 
finally brought him right side up out of the 
drift, shaking the snow off like a big dog. 

As soon as he caught sight of Betty still 


186 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


peering like a frightened hare over her bank, 
he trotted straight across the road to he^ side, 
and lifting up his cap, he said in a very nice 
voice : Oh, I hope you are not hurt ! I’m so 

used to coasting here alone, I never dreamed 
any one else would be here, and I didn’t see 
you till I was almost on you. 

You are not hurt? ” he added anxiously, 
as "Setty still did not move. 

No ; thank you, not at all,” said Betty 
solemnly, struggling to her feet and trying to 
scoop the snow out of her pockets — then as 
the ridiculous picture of a pair of legs kick- 
ing and struggling in the air came to her mind 
again, she threw back her head and laughed, 
and laughed, till for very sympathy the boy 
joined in with all his heart. 

It was too funny,” she said presently, wip- 
ing her eyes. If you could just have seen 
your legs kicking about like a frog on a fish- 
hook, you would — ha, ha, ha — think it was 
funny too,” and off she went again. 

That was nothing to the picture you made 
sitting in that drift like a hen in a hayloft,” 
said the boy merrily. How I wish I had had 
my camera ! ” 

And they began to laugh again, till Betty 


A ST. JULIANA'S BOY 


187 


fairly lost her footing on the slippery track 
and got another tumble into the snow. 

Let’s have another coast/’ said the boy, 
pulling her up and wading into the drift for 
her sled. 

“ I’ll show you a way to hitch the sleds to- 
gether, and I’ll sit behind and steer.” 

So up the hill they climbed, chatting as 
gayly as if they had known each other all their 
lives. 

Betty soon forgot her intentions in regard to 
Miss Hope in the joy of having a jolly com- 
panion of her own age, who politely dragged 
her sled as well as his own up the steep hill, 
and skillfully steered them down again with a 
rapidity which took away her breath. 

The afternoon passed like a flash, and the sun 
was dropping down like a red hall behind the 
snow-covered pines before she remembered 
Miss Worthington’s warning to be in by sunset. 

«Why did you call me ^ Jack ’ just now?” 
asked the boy as they set off across the fields 
to the house. 

My name is Livingston Hamilton, called 
Tony for short, and very much at your service 
for another coast whenever you like,” he added, 
laughing and making her a low bow. 


188 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


“ I wish my name was Jack,” he went on 
before she could answer, that is, if I could be 
the same Jack some of the fellows are always 
talking about at school. 

He did a fine thing ! 

A poor jockey he liked was all stove up in 
a practice race, so when the real race came 
off he wasn’t able to ride, so this fellow, Jack, 
rode for him, and won his race, too. 

Wasn’t that a clever thing to do? I wish 
I had done it.” 

And when he looked at Betty her hands 
were clasped tightly and her eyes were shining 
as she said proudly : That was Cousin Jack 
Joynes, and you reminded me of him somehow, 
I suppose, and that was why I called, you 
Jack.” And she went on to tell him all about 
the race, and of how Jack’s own father did not 
know he was riding till they were all off, be- 
cause she had promised not to tell. 

Then a startling idea popped into her head. 

You said you heard about him at school,” 
she said, her voice faltering a little ; “ was it 
at — at ” 

St. Julian’s Academy,” he answered 
promptly. And then, not noticing the look 
of despair on Betty’s face, he added : 


A ST. JULIANAS BOY 


189 


You see mj father is in Mexico on very 
important business, and when he found he 
couldn’t get back in time for Christmas, he 
gave me my choice of going to my aunt’s in 
Washington, or waiting here a few days for 
him, and I preferred to wait. 

He and I are all alone in the world, you 
know, and we are great chums.” 

But Betty heard not a word, for she was 
thinking with dismay : What will Miss 
Worthington say when I tell her I’ve coasted 
all the afternoon with a St. Julian’s boy! 

She will neyer trust me again, and I did 
mean to be so good, because she’s been so kind 
to me. 

Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! ” she said aloud, and 
Tony looked at her with amazement. 

There, I knew I hurt you when I ran into 
you on the hill, and you were too polite to say 
so,” he said miserably. 

“ I am such a thoughtless duffer ! Do get 
on this sled at once and let me pull you home.” 

But Betty cried quickly : It isn’t that at 
all, and I am not a bit hurt. It’s just a pain in 
my conscience that’s aching like a toothache.” 

Perhaps if you would tell me,” began 
Tony, in a voice so like Jack’s to Betty’s tor- 


190 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


tured imagination that she interrupted him: 

Oh, I will, I will, if you are sure you don’t 
mind listening,” and then and there she poured 
out the whole story of the two notes, and the 
big dog in her most dramatic manner. 

Tony listened very sympathetically. He 
had no sisters or cousins of his own, but his 
intense admiration for his father led him to 
imitate him in every way, particularly in his 
deference to the gentle sex; and when Betty 
wound up with an appealing: Now, what 

shall I do? ” he answered soothingly: Don’t 
you worry over it a minute longer ; I shall go 
in with you and ask to see Miss Worthington, 
and I shall tell her just how it all came about, 
and I am quite sure she will not be angry with 
you at all.” 

Oh, but you don’t know what strict rules 
she had made about Kutledge girls speaking 
to St. Julian’s bo^^s,” said poor Betty, only 
half comforted. I never mind breaking rules 
ordinarily. I think I’ve broken all the old 
ones already, and they have had to invent some 
new ones since I came here, but she has been 
so kind to me during the holidays, and I do 
want to show her that I appreciate it.” 

Well, so you may,” cried Tony confidently. 


A ST. JULIANAS BOY 


191 


“ Just leave it all to me, and I know I’ll be 
able to patch the matter up with her,” and he 
opened the gate politely for Betty to pass 
through. 

Just how it happened, or what he said to 
patch the matter up,” Betty never discov- 
ered, but when she came down with freshly 
brushed hair and glowing cheeks to supper, 
Tony was sitting before the crackling fire in 
the hall, between Miss Worthington and 
Ma’amselle, as much at his ease as if he were 
one of the parlor boarders. 

He stood up politely as Betty came forward, 
and said in a cheerful voice : “ It’s all right. 
Miss Betty, and Miss Worthington says I may 
stay to tea. Isn’t that jolly? ” 

A glance at Miss Worthington, who had re- 
covered from her headache, and wa» smiling 
in great good humor, made Betty quickly ac- 
quiesce that it was very jolly,” indeed. 

And when, with appetites sharpened by ex- 
ercise in the frosty air, they finished a delicious 
supper of birds and waffles, and adjourned 
to the girls’ library for a merry game of ping- 
pong, and when, with Miss Worthington’s con- 
sent, Betty promised to go coasting the next 
morning at ten o’clock, the two children said 


192 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


good-night with faces bright with the antici- 
pation of a happy to-morrow, and Betty added 
to her prayer that night, God bless that aw- 
fully nice boy, Tony/’ 

But when the to-morrow became to-day, and 
Tony, after waiting half an hour at the top of 
the hill for his little playmate, ran across the 
fields and pounded on the big brass Kutledge 
knocker. Miss Worthington herself opened the 
door for him, with a very serious face, indeed. 

Betty’s mammy had just arrived, she said, 
and Betty had to go home at once, for her 
grandmama was extremely ill, and they had 
sent for her. 

Tony went down to the little station to see 
her off, and hardly recognized his merry little 
friend in the quiet, sad-faced Betty, whose 
cheeks were so pale, and who answered so 
gently, Thank you, Tony,” when he told her 
of his sympathy, and his hope that she would 
find her grandmama more comfortable. 

Oh, mammy ! ” she said, when the train 
on which she had so often pictured herself 
going home, had pulled out of the little sta- 
tion : It seems to me I was built to be happy, 
and yet such sad things are always coming to 


A ST. JULIANA’S BOY 


193 


me. I thought, when father said I must not 
come home Christmas, that that was the very 
worst thing that could possibly happen, and 
now I am going home because something worse 
has already happened. Is grandmama very, 
very ill, mammy, and don’t you think she will 
get well soon? Ah, say, do you think so, 
mammy? ” 

But mammy’s answer was not encouraging, 
and Betty’s heart sank, and a big lump came 
into her throat, as the old woman said, shak- 
ing her head gravely : 

‘‘ Old miss have got de pew-mony, honey, 
and dat’s a disease yo’ don’ nebber know de 
end ob till it come. Whar yo’ goin’, chile? ” 
she asked presently, as Betty slipped past her. 

For some water, mammy. I am so 
thirsty,” she said, for the lump in her throat 
seemed to grow larger minute by minute. 

Dat’s de fofe glass ob water you’s drank 
since we started,” said mammy anxiously. I 
don’ hold wid dis permiscus drinkin’ on de 
cyars. Too many jums is in de watah folks 
drinks now-a-days, ’cordin’ to de doctahs.” 

Too many what? ” asked Betty, holding on 
to the arm of the seat as the train rocked and 
joggled along. What are ‘ jums,’ mammy? ” 


194 THE TAMING OF BETTY 

Oh, some sort ob specks in de watah dat 
gives you de smallpox an’ de final-come-an’*git- 
us, an’ va’ious other diseases,” said mammy 
learnedly. 

I’ll look for them, I promise you,” said 
Betty, much awed by the old woman’s wisdom. 

And if I see one I will certainly draw 
another cupful, but I must have just one more 
swallow.” 

Jack was waiting for them at the depot with 
the carriage, and, glad as they were to see each 
other, when Betty had asked tremblingly, 

How is she. Jack?” and he had answered 
with a catch in his voice, “ Pretty ill, Betty, 
the doctors say,” they drove home in silence, 
afraid to trust themselves to speak. 

The house was unnaturally quiet. As Betty 
tripped up the stairs. Aunt Berta met her on 
the landing, and took her into her arms, and 
held her close ; for dear as grandmama was to 
her, she knew that to Betty she was father and 
mother as well, and the last report from the 
sick room gave but little hope of the dear old 
lady’s recovery. 

Where is mama?” whispered Betty 
softly. 

Aunt Berta hesitated a moment, and then 


A ST. JULIANA’S BOY 195 

said : In her own room, dear ; would you 

like to go in and see her now? ” 

“ Isn’t she helping to nurse grandmama? ” 
asked Betty in astonishment. Why, I 
thought the doctors said she was quite well.” 

“ Grandmama has a trained nurse,” said 
Aunt Berta evasively, and I am always in 
the room or within call, so there is really no 
necessity for your mama to — ^yes, I’m coming,” 
she nodded to the nurse. Go in, dear, and 
speak to your mother, and as soon as grand- 
mama calls for you again, I will come and tell 
you.” 

Feeling dazed and hopeless, Betty knocked 
softly on her mama’s door. 

Come in,” said the fretful voice, and she 
entered into the well-remembered atmosphere 
of semi-darkness and lavender salts, while the 
same invalid voice called peevishly from the 
couch : 

Shut the door quietly. I can’t bear a 
sound to-day.” 

Betty felt her heart harden at once. She 
could not imagine how any one could think 
of such a trifling matter as a headache, or an 
attack of nerves,” with grandmama lying ill, 
hopelessly ill, perhaps, not twenty yards away. 


196 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


“ Oh, mama, mama ! she cried, falling on 
her knees bj the couch, and burying her face 
in its silken coverlet. 

It^s you, child ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Kan- 
dolph, opening her eyes and looking frown- 
ingly at the tousled brown head. 

I hoped you had learned to be more 
thoughtful in all these weeks at school, Betty. 
Can’t you see that I am suffering in mind and 
body? Why do you add to my discomfort?” 
and the invalid covered her face with her slen- 
der white fingers, through which the tears 
trickled slowly. 

Betty rose to her feet at once. I did not 
intend to annoy you, mama,” she said in a 
hard voice. “ I only came in to speak to yow 
and say how glad I am to hear the good news 
that you will soon be quite well again.” 

Well ! ” exclaimed her mother, looking up 
at her. I never expect to be well. I know 
my own constitution far better than any doc- 
tor. I have not even the strength to go in and 
help nurse my OAvn mother,” and she covered 
her face again and sobbed. 

Have you — have you tried to go? ” asked 
Betty presently. 

Tried? Of course I have tried,” answered 


A ST. JULIANA'S BOY 


197 


her mother in a hurt voice. I got as far as 
her door twice, and such a weakness and giddi- 
ness came over me that I was forced to turn 
back again and lie down. 

“ Though/’ she added, in a resigned tone, 
they really do not need me. Berta and the 
nurse and mammy are all there, and I should 
really do more harm than good by adding to 
their anxiety,” and she pulled the coverlet 
over her shoulders and closed her eyes wearily. 

Betty stood there for a moment, looking 
wonderingly down on the pretty pale face 
which she could have loved so dearly had she 
ever had the slightest encouragement, and not 
knowing exactly what to do or say next, when 
the door opened quietly and Aunt Berta beck- 
oned to her. 

Grandmama wishes to see you, dear,” she 
said, putting her hand caressingly on her 
shoulder. 

Be very, very quiet, Betty, and come out 
as soon as the nurse nods to you.” 

And Betty, with fast-beating heart, slipped 
out of the room. 


CHAPTER XV 


BETTY^S HEROISM 

The huge tester-bed had never seemed so 
large before, with the outline of the white 
face, framed in snowy hair, that lay so quietly 
on its pillows. One thin white hand rested 
near the edge of the bed, and Betty crept up 
and kissed it gently. 

Grandmama opened her eyes. “ At last, 
darling ! ” she breathed in a low, weak voice. 

Grandmama has — so longed — to see you,’’ 
and her fingers tightened over Betty’s warm, 
loving little clasp, while her eyes closed con- 
tentedly. 

The nurse softly pushed forward a chair so 
that Betty could sit down, and, still holding 
grandmama’s hand as if she never meant to let 
it go again, and with her brown eyes fastened 
on the dear face with a look of unspeakable 
love, Betty sat as still as a mouse during the 
long minutes that ticked from the little clock 
on the mantel. 


198 


BETTY^S HEROISM 


199 


Presently grandmama opened her eyes and 
smiled. I was afraid I — had dreamed it/’ 
she said in short, gasping whispers, as if each 
word were too great an effort to pronounce. 

Betty, child — what will you — do when 
grandmama leaves you? ” 

Betty’s first impulse was to throw herself on 
the bed and put her arms around her grand- 
mama and hold her fast ; but she remembered 
Aunt Berta’s warning, so she only held the 
beloved hand closer, while her tears fell hot 
upon it. “ Grandmama ! ” she cried at last, 
unable to control herself any longer. Oh, 
grandmama, don’t you love me any more? 
Then, how can you, oh, how can you talk of 
going away and leaving me here all alone ! 

“ I haven’t any one in all this world to love 
me but you, grandmama, and if you go — ^you 
must take me with you. I can’t stay, I won’t 
stay here without you. Won’t you promise 
me not to leave me yet, grandmama? ” The 
nurse hurried to the bedside with a finger on 
her lips and a stimulant in her hand. You 
must go now,” she said in a low tone to Betty. 

No, no,” sobbed Betty, not until she 
promises me that she will not leave me.” 

Let — her — stay,” whispered grandmama 


200 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


very faintly. Darling, I will — do my — best.’^ 
Then she dropped asleep. The minutes ran 
into long, long hours, and still she slept, and 
still Betty sat quietly by her bedside, clasping 
the dear hand in hers. 

Her limbs ached torturingly from her 
cramped position, yet she did not dare to move 
a finger lest she should recall grandmama from 
that quiet, deep sleep into which she had 
fallen. Once the nurse whispered to her, Can 
you stand it a little longer? It may keep her 
with you.’’ 

And Betty wearily, but happily, nodded her 
head, and said a little prayer that she might 
be kept from shrieking aloud with the cramp 
that racked every muscle in her body. 

Should she be able to hold out any 
longer? ” she thought. But she must, oh, she 
must! The slightest movement might wake 
grandmama from that quiet sleep, in which 
her breathing seemed — even to Betty — to have 
grown easier and more natural. 

At last, when she knew that she must give 
up, must scream aloud from the pain and the 
exhaustion, the dear eyes opened, and grand- 
mama smiled at her once more. 

“ I am better,” she said in a voice that 


BETTY’S HEROISM 


201 


seemed almost natural, and Betty tried to an- 
swer, but gave a gasp instead, as the doctor, 
with a devout Thank God ! ’’ came to the bed- 
side. Uncle John picked her up in his strong 
arms and carried her, half-fainting, into her 
own little room. 

“ I think you have saved her life, my dear,’^ 
he said huskily, as he closed the door and left 
her to the tender ministrations of mammy. 

Oh, the joy of waking again to the dear 
familiar objects of one’s own room ! 

Betty stretched comfortably in her lit- 
tle brass bed, hung with its pretty blue silk 
curtains, and her eyes rested lovingly on each 
chair and picture; on the tennis-rackets 
crossed over the little bookshelf, and the golf 
sticks hiding in the corner. On the dainty 
muslin curtains at the windows, tied back with 
blue ribbon, and the new blue and white couch 
piled with pillows which she had been too tired 
to examine closely last night, but which 
mammy told her was a Christmas gift from 
mama. 

How sweet and fresh everything looked. So 
different from the little plain white room at 
school. 


202 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Here there was no loud, clanging gong to 
break like a nightmare into her morning nap. 
No prim begoggled Helen to say, You’ll be 
late for breakfast, Betty.” No scurrying 
through dressing with no one to help you find 
the hooks and eyes and buttons. No bells 
rung violently every half-hour. No crosses. 
No Watch Dog.” Nothing but the joy and 
happiness of being at home again. 

For a few minutes Betty closed her eyes and 
gave herself up to the delight of it all; then, 
like a knife in her heart, she remembered all 
that had happened yesterday. 

Her limbs still ached, in spite of mammy’s 
rubbing and bathing, but she scarcely thought 
of the pain as she sprang from her bed hnd 
slipped into her wrapper. 

Is you woke up ?” whispered mammy, 
putting her head in the door. 

“ How is grandmama? ” asked Betty breath- 
lessly. 

‘^Better,” said mammy, coming into the 
room, her ebony face breaking into smiles. 

She’s done had a good night, an’ de doctah 
say he have ev’y reason to b’lieve she’s gwine 
to git well. Honey ! you come in de ve’y nick 
o’ time.” 


BETTY^S HEROISM 


203 


Oh, did I really do her any good, 
mammy? ’’ asked Betty, clasping her hands. 

“ Dat you did, my lamb, dat you did,” said 
mammy, brushing the brown curls gently 
around her finger. De doctahs say as how 
dat was de crisis ob de disease, an’ dey couldn’t 
hab answered for de conse-kences widout you 
had sot thar, so patient an’ quiet-like all dat 
time, a-holdin’ ob her hand.” 

So grandmama was really going to get well, 
after all, and she, Betty, had actually helped 
her, the doctor himself said so. And with a 
heart that fairly overflowed with happiness 
she dressed quickly and ran softly downstairs 
and into the breakfast room. 

Julianna and Joyce immediately pounced 
upon her, and Jack patted her shoulder affec- 
tionately, as he said in his very nicest voice, 
Golly, but it’s good to get you back again, 
old girl ! ” 

Even her father greeted her less sternly 
than usual, and Aunt Berta and Uncle John 
were so kind and attentive that Betty felt al- 
most embarrassed. 

Grandmama smiled in sympathy when she 
heard the merry voices in the garden after 
breakfast, and the delighted yelps of Billy, 


204 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


who could scarcely believe his own eyes, that 
his little mistress had really come home, and 
never left her heels for a moment lest she 
should disappear again. 

A brisk snow-battle w’as in progress, for a 
thaw had set in, and the children felt they 
must take advantage of every handful of snow 
while it lasted. And so the days passed 
quickly, and to Betty there had never been 
such happy ones in all her short little 
life. 

I have only one thing left to wish for, now 
that I am really at home again, and grand- 
mama is improving every day,’^ she said to 
Jack one morning. And that is that mama 
and my father could make up their minds to 
care for me just a little. I am not very repul- 
sive looking, do you think I am. Jack? And I 
could really be so much more thoughtful and 
lady-like if I only knew they cared. 

But they don’t — you need not shake your 
head. Jack — you know it as Avell as I do. 
Father, I am sure, hates me, or he could never 
treat me as he does — so different from the way 
your father treats you. And mama — well, I 
seem to put all her nerves on edge the moment 
I go near her, and it does hurt me so. When 


BETTY^S HEROISM 


205 


I see her turn her head away, and close her 
eyes, as if she could not bear the sight of me, 
I just get as hard as a rock inside my heart, 
and don’t care what I do or say to provoke her. 
Do you think they will ever like me any better, 
Jack?” 

Jack cleared his throat hastily and gave 
what encouragement he could; and when the 
next minute Betty had turned on her heel ab- 
ruptly, and was flying down the garden walk, 
yodeling at the top of her lungs, with Billy 
racing beside her, he thrust his hands deep 
into his pockets and stood looking after her in 
amazement. 

Well, if she isn’t the very queerest mixture 
in the world I ” he said to himself. One min- 
ute you think her heart is actually going to 
break, and the next minute you are perfectly 
sure she hasn’t any heart at all. I can’t un- 
derstand her.” And he walked off in the oppo- 
site direction, shaking his head gravely. 

But Betty understood herself very well. She 
knew if she stood there a moment longer lis- 
tening to Jack’s pitying excuses, he would have 
every right to call her a cry-baby, and she said 
to herself, I’m not going to spread my feel- 
ings around in that way, and then invite peo- 


206 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


pie to step on them.’^ So her only safety lay in 
flight, and the yodel was an excellent cover to 
the feelings she had spread around.” 

The doctor had recommended a Southern 
trip for grandmama, as soon as she was strong 
enough to travel, and as mama thought she 
was not able to undertake so grave a responsi- 
bility, Aunt Berta and Uncle John and the 
nurse were to go with her. 

And what is to become of me? Am I to go, 
too?” asked Betty, fitting on the little foot- 
stool at grandmama’ s feet, where she spent 
many hours at the dear old lady’s conval- 
escence, while Jack was at school, and the 
children toiling along as usual under Miss 
Bowers’ tutelage. 

My darling,” said her grandmama, I had 
to plead very hard with your father to allow 
you to stay with me till I am quite well again. 
When the day comes for me to go South, I am 
afraid he ” 

“ Grandmama ! ” cried Betty wildly. “ He 
won’t — he can’t have the heart to send me away 
again. Oh, grandmama, you are joking ! Say 
you are joking, grandmama! Why, I never 
dreamed of having to go back to school again. 
I thought you would always keep me with you 


betty'^s heroism 


207 


forever and forever. You just can’t think how 
dreadfully homesick I was at Rutledge, grand- 
mama. 

Miss Worthington was very kind to me, 
and some of the girls were, too, but, oh, every 
minute and hour I thought of you, and longed 
to be here with you. Many and many a night I 
cried myself to sleep, and you know yourself 
how very bad I was, and how I broke all the 
rules I possibly could so that Miss Worthing- 
ton would expel me. 

I thought it was better to come home dis- 
graced than not to come at all. But you were 
joking, weren’t you, grandmama? ” she said 
confidently, clasping her hands. Even my 
father would never be cruel enough to send me 
away from you now.” 

Grandmama took the little clenched hands 
in hers. Why, Betty, my child ! ” she ex- 
claimed, “ how very hot your hands are. Do 
you feel ill ? ” 

I don’t feel so very well,” confessed Betty. 

I’ve had a horrid headache for two or three 
days, and I’m so tired all the time. I suppose 
I must have taken cold somehow.” 

You must come in and let the doctor see 
you when he pays his visit to me this after- 


208 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


noon/’ said grandmama. “ Now, don’t forget 
it, Betty.” 

But Betty did forget, for when the doctor 
came she was lying on her little blue and white 
couch feeling very ill, indeed, while mammy 
bathed her hot, aching head with eau de 
cologne. 

Get the child to bed at once, and keep her 
there till I see her to-morrow,” said the doctor 
in his gruff, kind voice. And Betty went will- 
ingly for the first time in her life. 

Mammy followed hiin down to the door. 

‘‘ Marse Doctor, is she swallowed a ^ jum ’? ” 
she asked anxiously. Then, seeing his puzzled 
look, she explained that Betty had insisted 
upon drinking cup after cup full of water on 
the train, though she warned her of the jums ” 
it might contain, and added solicitously: 

How long do it take for a ^ jum ’ to break 
out, suh? ” 

The doctor looked very serious, indeed. It 
depends on the germ, mammy,” he said. But 
don’t you worry about germs. I’ll attend to 
them. Just you keep your little charge quietly 
in bed till I see her in the morning,” and he 
went out banging the door behind him. 


CHAPTER XVI 


ALAS FOR BETTY! 

When the doctor came next morning he 
went straight to Betty room first, and as soon 
as he saw her he knew that his worst fears 
Avere realized. 

She^s in for typhoid feA^er,’’ he said to Aunt 
Berta, when he came out. I suspected as 
much last night. This morning I am sure of it. 

“ Mammy tells me she drank cup after cup 
of that villainous stuff they call water in our 
railroad trains. By Jove! Vd like to smash 
every cooler in every car in the country ! ’’ he 
said savagely. They are never scalded, or 
even properly cleaned from one yearns end to 
the other, and I don^t know better germ- 
breeders. 

But that^s neither here nor there. Mrs. 
Joynes, I want you to take your mother away 
at once.” 

But,” began Aunt Berta despairingly, 
sheJl never leave Betty now — nor will I.” 

209 


210 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


Allow me to remind you, madam, that 
your first duty is to your mother,’^ said the doc- 
tor decidedly. If you permit her to remain 
here through the winter months, I cannot an- 
swer for the consequences. As to her consent- 
ing to leave Betty, I am quite ready to deceive 
her in regard to the child’s condition, if neces- 
sary. Anything to get her w^ell out of the 
way.” 

I agree with you, doctor, that she should 
not stay here on any account,” said Aunt 
Berta, almost in tears at the thought that 
she herself could not be in both places at 
once. 

“ But who will nurse that dear child? My 
sister ” 

Your sister is quite as able to do it as you 
are,” interrupted the doctor ; and it jnay be 
the very best thing that can possibly happen 
to her. For the rest, I will send two of my 
nurses up to-morrow after you leave.” 

To-morrow ! ” echoed Aunt Berta. 

To-morrow, after you leave,” went on the 
doctor imperturbably, and they will take en- 
tire charge of Betty night and day, so that no 
real responsibility may rest on her mother’s 
shoulders. Leave Jack here, if you like, but 


ALAS FOR BETTY! 


211 


send the little girls to Mrs. Corbin. I am sure 
she will take care of them for you willingly. 

And now, if you will come with me to your 
mother’s room, I am confident we can make 
her agree to our plans. In fact, we must make 
her agree to them,” he added, pushing the door 
open in response to grandmama’s invitation to 
enter. 

Betty had a very hazy idea that some 
one who looked like grandmama came and 
sat by her bed next morning, and held her 
hot hand caressingly between two cool, soft 
palms. 

She also had a dim impression of the words : 

Dover’s powders always make one stupid, 
madam,” uttered in a gruff voice which re- 
minded her of some one else she knew, whose 
name she could not quite remember. Unless it 
were, Dover’s powders always make 

one ” but no — those were the words the 

voice had spoken, and she repeated them over 
and over to herself till they buzzed like bees 
in her head, and she begged mammy to drive 
them away. 

“ Why, how queer ! ” 

Mammy had suddenly turned white. And 


212 


THE TAMING OP BETTY 


why was she wearing that stiff white frock? 
But was it mammy? No, it was a nurse, some 
one’s nurse, she could not remember just 
whose — or, else — it was Tony, Tony -pulling 
himself up out of a snowdrift. Ah, she must 
go at once and confess to Miss Worthington 
that she had pushed a St. Julian’s boy into a 
snowdrift. 

No wonder it was cold. There was snow 
everywhere. She was lying in a drift herself, 
with the icicles tinkling like sleigh-bells above 
her. Now somebody’s nurse was gathering the 
icicles and putting them into a long tumbler. 
She heard them tinkle nearer and nearer ; and 
now she was swallowing them. 

How deliciously cool they were, and how hot 
it had suddenly grown. With an impatient 
movement she threw off the covering. 
Blankets in summer time ! What could 
mammy be thinking of! If some one would 
only fan her, or give her another icicle! Ah, 
here was mammy at last with the cool eau de 
cologne for her head. Now she would be able 
to go to sleep. 

And so — dipping between consciousness and 
unconsciousness, Betty passed the long day, 
many long days, while grandmama, and Aunt 


ALAS FOR Betty! 


213 


Berta, and Uncle John, and the nurse traveled 
to the sunny Southland that grandmama 
might spend her days out of doors among the 
flowers she loved, happy in the belief that — 

Betty^s cold was improving, though a slight 
inflammation of the eyes kept her from writ- 
ing.” 

Aunt Berta^s reports from home were far 
less encouraging. 

Betty^s temperature was very high, the doc- 
tor said. She pleads continually during 
every waking moment not to be sent away from 
home. It is always on her mind, and her ter- 
ror lest her father should take her back to 
school again is really pitiable. We tell her a 
dozen times a day, and' as often during the 
night that she is not to be sent away, and it 
seems to soothe her for the moment, but she 
always returns to it again. I never knew a 
more continuous or obstinate hallucination. 

However, we expect the crisis this week, 
and though I confess I rather dread it, I hope 
to have good news for you when it is passed.” 

The light burned low in Betty’s little blue 
and white room. 

Outside the door the doctor was talking in 


214 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


low tones to a man whose white, haggard face 
looked ghastly in the semi-darkness. 

“ If we can pull her through the night, he 
was saying, 1 have high hopes of her recov- 
ery, but — listen to that,’’ he broke off. 

That’s what counts against her.” 

The man’s face grew whiter and more hag- 
gard still as he listened to the weak, pleading- 
voice within the room, which sank now to a 
whisper, now rose to a shrill cry, but never 
ceased its plaint. 

Don’t send me away, father. Please don’t 
send me away. I’ll be good. I promise to go 
to school if you’ll only let me stay. Why do 
you hate me so? I won’t come near you, 
mama. See how quiet I am. Why do you turn 
away from me? Oh, he’s going to send me 
away — aw^ay — away ! ” 

I cannot stand this any longer,” groaned 
Mr. Randolph, covering his face with his 
hands. Doctor, for Heaven’s sake, do some- 
thing! You must do something, man, for my 
child, my only child ! ” 

The doctor looked at him. It was a cruel 
thing to say, and he knew it was cruel, but he 
said it. 

‘‘ Is it possible you can take me to task for 


ALAS FOR BETTY ! 215 

what you yourself are responsible for, Mr. 
Eandolpli? 

Mr. Randolph bowed his head in silence. 
He knew the doctor spoke the truth. 

All of his harsh words, his cruel neglect and 
punishment of Betty came to him in a rush of 
thought and condemned him, as he stood there 
listening to that agonized pleading of his 
child’s voice. His only child, who uncon- 
sciously shrank from him whenever he went 
near her bedside, and cried out so piteously: 
“ Don’t send me away, father.” 

“ If I could only make her understand 
that — that I love her,” he said wistfully, look- 
ing at the doctor. Do you think I might 
try? ” 

“ She will not know you,” said the doctor, 
and I doubt if she hears you, but it will do 
no harm to try.” 

And Betty’s father pushed the door open 
and softly entered the room. 

The slender little figure lay quietly enough 
now in the pretty brass bed — too weak to toss 
from side to side, but the pleading cry was un- 
ceasing : Don’t send me away. Oh, don’t 

send me away, father ! ” 

The night nurse stood by the head of the bed 


216 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


renewing the icebag on the hot little head, 
which had long ago been bereft of its pretty 
brown curls, and at one side, clasping a burn- 
ing little hand in hers and covering it with 
kisses and tears, knelt — Betty^s mama. 

Her father went quietly to the other side of 
the bed and took her other hand, in his. 

Darling ! he said, in a voice that trem- 
bled strangely, father loves you, and will 
never send you away from him again. Can 
you hear me, Betty? Father loves you, and 
will never send you away from him again.” 

Over and over and over, he repeated the 
same words. His voice breaking in tenderly 
upon the little endless moan, and growing 
gradually, but quietly, more insistent, as he 
fancied, at last, it had reached her ears, even 
in that dim land of unconsciousness to which 
she had drifted. 

How long he knelt there he did not know. 
His mind held only the one idea, that he was 
to call Betty back to the love which she had 
never known, and for which she had longed so 
greatly all her life. The love which he him- 
self scarcely realized was in his heart till that 
yearning cry had stirred the very depths of 
his being with it. 


ALAS FOR BETTY! 217 

After a time the doctor came and touched 
him on the shoulder. 

That will do/’ he said quietly. “ I believe 
— after a dim fashion — she understands.” 
Then he turned to the nurse. 

Some brandy,” he said. 

Betty’s mama rose quickly to her feet. 

Let me get it, please,” she whispered, put- 
ting a detaining hand on the nurse’s arm. 

What is the dose, doctor? ” 


CHAPTER XVII 


A HAPPY AWAKENING 

In the brightness of the morning light Betty 
opened her eyes and looked about her, not with 
the vacant stare of yesterday, but with the in- 
telligence of consciousness. 

She was very weak, so weak that the fam- 
iliar sight of the little Delft clock on the man- 
telpiece made her brain ache when she tried to 
tell the time by it. 

Then it slowly came to her remembrance 
that she had had a wretched headache last 
night — or, was it last night? and that mammy 
— no, it could not have been last night, for so 
many things had happened since then. 

But what the things were she could not re- 
member, so she gave it up, and turned her head 
slowly on the pillow. 

Why, how much that lady over there looked 
like mama, she thought. Could it be? but 
mama would be lying down in her own room 

with the shades drawn, and yet It was 

218 


A HAPPY AWAKENING 219 

very puzzling. Mama,” she whispered softly, 

mama.” 

To her great surprise the lady looked up, 
came swiftly across the room, and said, bend- 
ing over the bed, What is it, darling? ” 

Betty closed her eyes wearily and swallowed 
the cool stuff in the tumbler which mammy 
held to her lips. Of course she knew now it 
was not mama. She never called her dar- 
ling.” She only said, Don’t make so much 
noise, Betty.” And, weary with trying to 
solve the problem, she fell asleep again. 

When she waked another odd idea took pos- 
session of her. This time she thought it was 
her father who stood at the foot of her bed 
looking at her — well, as Uncle John sometimes 
looked at Jack when he seemed very fond of 
him, indeed. 

All through the day these queer visions came 
to her, first of her mama, and then of her 
father, standing beside her and looking down 
at her as they only looked in dreams. It was 
most confusing. 

The next day she determined to ask the doc- 
tor about it, and she could ndt understand why 
he cleared his throat so very often before he 
answered her. 


220 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


That evening when the lady came to her bed- 
side, she said weakly : I would like to see 

my grandmama, please.’^ 

Will I do as well, dear? ” said the lady^ 
smiling. 

‘^Who are you?’^ asked Betty, looking up 
at her with eyes that seemed too large for her 
thin white face. You look like my mama, 
but, of course, you are not. She never calls 
me ^ dear.’ ” And then her mother leaned over 
her with eyes that were misty with tears, and 
kissed her gently. 

My precious child,” she w’hispered softly. 
“ Mama has been so hard and cold and selfish 
to you all your little life! Can you forgive 
her now? She will try so hard to make it up 
to you if it is not too late. Can you forgive 
her and love her, Betty? And let her love 
you ? ” 

Oh, mama, do you truly, truly mean it? ” 
asked Betty, in her weak voice. Do you 
really love me? Oh, if you only knew^ how 
happy it makes me to hear you say so,” and 
she tried to put her thin little arms around her 
mother’s neck. 

Could anything in the whole wide world be 
sweeter, she thought, than mama’s voice, when 


A HAPPY AWAKENING 


221 


she answered the question that Betty asked 
her twenty times a day : Do you really love 
me, mama? ’’ with her soft With all my 
heart, darling ? 

Could anything be more beautiful than 
mama’s face as she bent over to smooth her 
pillow or tenderly stroke the short, rough 
curls. And was there ever so soft and gentle 
a hand as hers? Not even grandmama’s were 
softer or gentler. 

I’ve only one thing left to wish for,” said 
Betty, sighing happily. 

“ And what is that, my dearest? ” asked her 
mother. You shall have it, whatever it is.” 

‘‘ But you can’t get it for me, mama ; only 
father can give it to me,” Betty answered 
earnestly. I do so want him to love me, 
too ! ” 

He does, my little girl, more than he can 
ever tell you,” said her father, who had come 
softly in. And bending over her with a look 
in his eyes which she had dreamed was there, 
he kissed her tenderly. 

I’m happy enough to die now,” whispered 
Betty weakly, growing very white and closing 
her eyes, for the excitement had proved too 
much for her. 


222 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


But she did not die. 

Each day she grew stronger and stronger, 
until at last she could be lifted in her father’s 
arms to his own easy-chair, which he had 
brought in for her and piled with cushions till 
she looked like a little bird in its nest. 

And when Jack was allowed to come in and 
see her, she clasped her thin little hands to- 
gether, and said with sparkling eyes : Oh, 
Jack! I really believe I am the very happiest 
girl in all the world. Do you know that 
father takes me on his lap every evening when 
he comes in, just as Uncle John does Julianna? 
And he talks to me, oh, so beautifully! He 
always comes in to kiss me good-night, too, 
and say ‘ God bless you, my child.’ As for 
mama, why, she doesn’t even allow the nurse 
to make my cocoa or hand me my milk,” Betty 
wound up with such a spoilt-child ” air that 
Jack laughed heartily. 

Father,” she said one evening, when Mr. 
Kandolph came into her room for their usual 
billing and cooing,” as Jack teasingly called 
it, one night while I was ill I thought I 
was going farther and farther away from home 
to such a beautiful place. There were roses 
everywhere and warm sunshine^ and not a 


A HAPPY AWAKENING 


223 


single shadow, but everything was bright and 
lovely. But when I got almost to the gate, I 
heard your voice calling and calling me. At 
first I thought I would not listen. I wanted 
so to go inside and pull the roses, and run 
about in the sunshine, but your voice grew 
louder and louder, and you said, ^ Come back, 
Betty; father loves you, and will never send 
you away again.’ Then suddenly I opened 
my eyes, and found I was here at home 
in my own little bed, with you and mama 
standing beside me. Wasn’t it a queer 
dream? ” 

It was not a dream, dear,” said her father 
softly. “ At least the part about my calling 
you was not. As to sending you away from 
me again, why, I feel as if my little daughter 
had been away all her life, and had only just 
come back to me. Nothing could make me 
part with her again ever.” 

Then as Betty laid her head caressingly 
against his arm, he said : Now I want my 
little girl to get well as quickly as possible, 
and just as soon as she is strong enough to 
travel we will all go on a trip together to Old 
Point.” 

Jack, too? ” asked Betty, and mammy? ” 


224 


THE TAMING OP BETTY 


Yes, Jack, and mammy, too,’’ said her 
father. And there we will stay till you are 
quite strong and well, and we are tired of 
looking at the sea and the ships and the old 
fort, and grandmama is equally tired of the 
flowers and sunshine in the South, and then 
we will all come home again and have a family 
reunion.” 

Oh, how splendid that will be ! ” cried 
Betty excitedly. And then what? ” 

Then what? Why, you little rascal, then 
you will be well enough not to be treated any 
longer as a pampered invalid. What more 
did you expect ? ” 

Why, nothing,” said Betty, embarrassed. 
Only your voice sounded as if you were going 
on to say something else even nicer.” 

Well, I was,” confessed her father, laugh- 
ing. You are a perfect detective, Betty. I 
was going to suggest that in the late spring, if 
your mama is still improving and your grand- 
mama will consent to it, perhaps we might all 
go abroad for a few months. What! haven’t 
you anything to say to it? Or is the propo- 
sition distasteful to my Lady Fanciful? ” 

For Betty was as quiet as a mouse. 

But when at last she found her Ijongue. she 


A HAPPY AWAKENING 


225 


threw both arms around her father^s neck and 
cried : Father, you are so good to me ! You 

have made me so happy, so very happy, and 
there is nothing you wish me to do that I 
would not do willingly, — even to going back 
to Kutledge again, — though it would break my 
heart to leave home now when everything here 
is so much more beautiful and precious to me 
than ever before/’ 

But her father patted her shoulder indul- 
gently and said : “ I have no doubt but that I 
shall find some terrible tasks for you before 
the year grows older, so you may regret after 
all that you turned your back on Rutledge. 
But I shall not ask you to go there again soon, 
my dear. In fact, I wrote to Miss Worthing- 
ton to-day to say I would keep you with me a 
few years longer; and, by the way, Betty, 
Merrylegs has been eating his head off in the 
stable for nearly two weeks, and is growing so 
fat I don’t know how we shall get him be- 
tween the shafts again.” 

Then mama came in in her pretty gray tea- 
gown and declared she was growing jealous 
of the intimacy between these two, and bore 
Betty off triumphantly to bed. 

A few days later a rolling-chair in which sat 


226 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


a pretty, pale-cheeked little girl, well wrapped 
in furs from the prying sea breezes, was being 
slowly wheeled along the board-walk at Old 
Point, by a blue-eyed lad who talked gayly 
with its occupant. 

By the side of the chair strolled a tall gen- 
tleman with a rather delicate-looking lady 
leaning on his arm, to whom the little girl 
continually appealed as “ mama,’’ and who 
stopped the chair now and then to tuck the 
furs more closely around her and to ask 
anxiously: Are you cold, darling, or tired? ” 

At each stop the blue-eyed lad would growl 
and say : “ I vow ! you and Uncle Tom will 
end by making a perfect ^ Molly coddle ’ of 
Betty. She used to be a pretty good sort for 
a girl, but I don’t suppose she will ever feel 
like running again, or playing ball, and as for 
climbing a tree, why, I think she would faint 
at the mere mention of anything so indelicate.” 

Just you wait till my ^ pipe-stems,’ as 
you call them, get stronger. Jack,” laughed 
Betty, and I’ll show you if I am a ‘ Molly 
coddle.’ 

Father says I have grown so I look like 
the ^ Curiouser and Curiouser, said Alice,’ 
picture, so I shan’t need to climb trees any 


A HAPPY AWAKENING 


227 


more. But I’ll beat you the first set of ping- 
pong we play together, and I’ll race you from 
the magnolia trees to ^ The Arms of Jacob ’ the 
minute I get home.” 

“ There’s a challenge for you, Jack,” cried 
Betty’s father, laughing. But her mama said 
anxiously : Don’t even think of such things, 

my dear child, till you are quite yourself 
again. You will have to submit to a very 
watchful eye after this, my darling, for many, 
many days, for mama was too near losing her 
little girl ever to run such a risk again if she 
knows how to prevent it.” 

And now it is time for Betty to go in and 
take her rest before dinner, and we will say 
good-bye to her as her father, who still pre- 
tends to believe she cannot walk even a few 
yards without help, throws back the furs, and 
lifts her from her chair in his strong arms as if 
she were a baby. 

She pinches herself sometimes to see if she 
is awake or if she is still only dreaming that 
he and her mama really love her so dearly and 
are so tender and affectionate with her. 

She does not know of the terrible agonies" of 
remorse they suffered during those long days 
and nights when they watched by her bedside 


^28 


THE TAMING OF BETTY 


and saw her grow weaker and weaker, and 
listened to her piteous pleading cry to love 
her and not send her away from home. 

She only knows that she loves them with 
every beat of her warm, impulsive little heart. 
That they are her first thoughts in the morn- 
ing, and her last at night, sharing with grand- 
mama the affection she had always longed to 
pour out upon them. 

And so — knowing that there are many 
happy days in store for Betty, we watch her 
bright face smiling over her father’s shoulder 
till they turn the corner and disappear from 
sight. 


THE END 




LITTLE BETTY BLEW 

Her Strange Experiences and Adventures 
in Indian Land 

BY ANNIE M. BARNES 

Illustrated by Frank T. Merrill i2mo Cloth with gold and 
colors 300 pages Price $1.25 

O NE of the very best books with 
which to satisfy a young reader’s 
natural desire for an “ Indian story ” 
is this one of little Betty Blew and 
what she saw and experienced when 
her family removed from Dorchester, 
Mass., two hundred years ago, to 
their home on the Ashley River above 
Charleston, South Carolina. Although 
Betty is but a small maid she is so 
wise and true that she charms all, and 
there are a number of characters who 
will interest boys as well as girls, and 
old as well as young. 

There are many Indians who figure most importantly in many 
exciting scenes, but the book, though a splendid “ Indian story,” 
is far more than that. It is an unusually entertaining tale of the 
making of a portion of our country, with plenty of information 
as well as incident to commend it, and the account of a delight- 
ful family life in the brave old times. It is good to notice that 
I this story is to be the first of a colonial series, which will surely 
? be a favorite with children and their parents. Mr. Merrill’s 
S illustrations are of unusual excellence, even for that gifted artist, 
and the binding is rich and beautiful. 



For sale by all booksellers^ or sent prepaid on rueipf of pries 
by the publishers 

LEE AND SHEPARD BOSTON 



The Children On The Top Floor 

By NINA RHOADES 

Author of “Only Dollie,” “ Little Girl Next Door,” “ Winifred’s Neighbors” 

Illustrated by Bertha 0. Davidson Large 12mo Cloth 300 pages $1.00 

Little Winifred Hamilton, the child heroine 
of this book, lives in the second of the 
four stories of a New York apartment-house. 
On the top floor are two very interesting 
children — Betty, a little older than Winifred, 
who is ten, and Jack, a brave little cripple, 
who is a year younger. The widowed mother, 
proud and distant until won over by the 
kindness of good friends, shows unmistakably 
that something very different from poverty 
and loneliness has been familiar to her, which 
fact is also very evident from the character 
and breeding of her children. In the end 
comes a glad reunion, and good fortune for 
crippled Jack, and Winifred’s kind little heart 
has indirectly caused great happiness to many others. This is the strongest 
story Miss Rhoades has yet given us, excellent as have been her others. 


ONLY DOLLIE 

By NINA RHOADES 

Author of “ The Little Girl Next Door,” “ Winifred’s Neighbors,” 

“The Children On The Top Floor” 

New Coyer Design Illustrated Square 12mo Cloth $1.00 

This is a brightly written story of a girl of 
twelve, who, when the mystery of her birth is 
solved, like Cinderella, passes from drudgery to 
better circumstances. There is nothing strained 
or unnatural at any point. All descriptions or 
portrayals of character are life-like, and the 
book has an indescribable appealing quality 
which wins sympathy and secures success. 

“ It is delightful reading at all times ” — Cedar Rapids 
{la.) Republican. 

“ The author has written with admirable restraint, and 
has exhibited in her character-drawing a keen observance 
of real life.” — Philadelphia Press. 

“ It is well written, the story runs smoothly, the idea 
is good, and it is handled with ability.” — Chicago J our nal. 




For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of Price by the publishers. 

Lr££ & SI1£PA.RD, PxiblisHers, Boston 




















AUG 26 1904 




